During the week Minsk was the center of activities carried out in the framework of Plenary week of Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG). EAG events ended on Friday, 24 May 2013
During this time, in the capital of Belarus were held a joint workshop of EAG and Egmont Group unifying the financial intelligence units of more than 130 countries worldwide. The workshop focused on the IT use in the information exchange between financial intelligence units and analyzing this information. The workshop was attended by President of Egmont Group Boudewijn Verhelst.
During the next two days the participants of EAG Plenary week worked in the framework of five working groups: on mutual evaluations and legal issues, technical assistance, on combating financing of drug trafficking, crime and terrorism, typologies, supervision.
The key event of the week was the 18th EAG Plenary meeting that was held on 23-24 May. It was attended by the heads of financial intelligence units of EAG member states: Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as experts from countries and international organizations with observer status in EAG.
It should be emphasized that the FATF President Mr. Bjorn Aamo (Norway) took part in the work of the Plenary meeting.
FATF (Financial Action to Combat Money Laundering) is the international organization determining the "rules of the game" in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.
Compliance with the FATF 40 recommendations is a necessary condition for the compatibility of national systems for combating money laundering and terrorism financing to international standards.
Today in the world there are 8 regional FATF-style organisations and Belarus is the member of one of them (EAG). Financial Monitoring Department of the State Control Committee presents the interests of our country in EAG.
Through EAG Belarus participates also in the work of the FATF
Systematic work of Belarus in the field of combating money laundering was noted by the international community. So in November 2012 during the EAG Plenary meeting in New Delhi (India), the Belarusian delegation headed by the Director of the Financial Monitoring Department A.Maksimenko successfully defended a report on progress of the Republic of Belarus in this field.
3 similar reports on progress of EAG member states were discussed in Minsk during the Plenary week and EAG meeting.
The participants of the EAG Plenary meeting discussed the issues of current FATF initiatives including the recently adopted methodology of FATF mutual evaluations.
They appreciated the event and EAG role. In particular FATF President Bjorn Aamo noted that the EAG is the most important part of the global network to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
I was very impressed with the high level of activity of all the participants of the meeting. I also greatly impressed with the hospitality of the Belarusian side. I'm leaving with very pleasant memories, - said Mr. Aamo.
The next Plenary meeting of the Eurasian group on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism will be held in November 2013 in Turkmenistan.
All news
