8 September 2017 - Transnational organized crime, terrorism and drug trafficking are growing concerns as illicit networks have become powerful, dangerous, and highly adaptable, evolving while societies develop. For criminal and terrorist networks to be effective, funds and financial infrastructures remain critical but they also represent a critical vulnerability.
To tackle this issue, UNODC, with the support of the Cellule Nationale de Traitement des Informations Financières du Mali (CENTIF) and the participation of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), recently organized a workshop on disrupting the financing of terrorist networks.
Held in Bamako, the workshop aimed to establish and maintain a network of experts with an understanding of "how to disrupt terrorist networks by targeting their financial infrastructure".
Throughout the event, participants learned about methods to do so and identified next steps, particularly information requirements in relation to current terrorist networks in the region.
Representatives from various law enforcement authorities and experts were present, offering extensive inputs and insights into this crucial issue, and following the structure set out in the UNODC financial disruption workbook. The workshop, therefore, provided an opportunity for participants to share good practices in maximizing the effectiveness of financial disruptions against criminal and terrorist networks.
Applying theory into practice through a fictional scenario, participants discussed financial methods of a terrorist group. The exercise intended to reflect current threats in the region, and in the end, many participants stressed that it provided a platform to discuss challenges and to identify steps to reinforce future cooperation.
The workshop, funded by Canada, was developed by UNODC's Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism (GPML) to promote stability in Mali and to support the country's efforts in countering financing of terrorism.
UNODC in West and Central Africa
