SAMIFIN – the Financial Intelligence Unit of Madagascar, led national celebrations on International Money Laundering Prevention Day in Antananarivo. Organised as a ‘conference-debate’, the event was well attended, including by the Director General of SAMIFIN Mamitiana RAJAONARISON, the Secretary General of the Banking and Financial Supervision Commission, Mr Seheno Ranaivoson, the Representative of the Professional Association of Banks (APB) Mr Emile RAKOTONAIVO and the Secretary General of Association of Malagasy Entrepreneurs, Mr Arija Harijaona. The European Union was also represented.
In Madagascar, SAMIFIN is in the forefront of fighting money laundering and repressing illicit financial flows. It works to enforce compliance with international standards and strengthen the synergy between national actors, and to boost international cooperation. It also aims to ensure the effectiveness of the country’s systems in order to mitigate the risks and threats of money laundering and terrorist financing.
Representing the European Union at the Money Laundering Prevention Day event was the Head of the EU Delegation to Madagascar H E Ms Isabelle Delattre. We were also very delighted to support and participate in this event, represented by the AML CFT ESCAY Project team leader Frédéric BAYARD and Michael Black, the project’s monitoring and evaluation officer..
Frédéric BAYARD recalled in detail our joint collaboration with Madagascar over the years, which has included several capacity building workshops attended by Madagascar officials. We also designed and implemented tailor made assistance for Madagascar, which included training and hands on practical mentoring in two key areas: Strengthening its AML/CFT supervision/mentoring and beneficial ownership transparency and the effective use of financial intelligence, AML/CFT investigation, prosecution and asset recovery.
The head of the EU in Madagascar, HE Ms. Isabelle Delattre explained the risks which continue to multiply and take new forms in AML/CFT around the world, and praised the leadership of the DG of SAMIFIN in leading the fight in Madagascar.
We look forward to greater partnership and collaboration with Madagascar even in the upcoming next phase of this project.
