In February, we conducted a week-long virtual training on Trade-Based Money Laundering (TMBL) and Illicit financial flows for our French speaking partner States. The training, which was attended by 66 participants from 13 countries, brought together officers from law enforcement agencies (LEA), the Financial Intelligence Units (FIU), customs authorities, public prosecutors and other relevant national agencies from our beneficiary countries.
The exponential growth of the international trading has become very complex exposing many countries to a series of vulnerabilities that can be manipulated by organized criminal groups and their networks to launder money. Considering this complexity, many countries in the east and southern Africa region do not have the adequate capacity to effectively regulate, verify transactions and, detect and identify illegitimate or suspicious activities. To compound this, the weakness of cross-border cooperation and the relatively easier/faster circulation of goods and corresponding financing have exacerbated the risks associated with the international trading system.
And it is against this backdrop that we organised the week’s training sessions. The training aimed to increase awareness of the prevalence and the risks of TBML and to strengthen knowledge and skills of invited trainees to detect, prevent, identify and disrupt TBML and commerce-based illicit financial flows. The training also contributed to strengthening the capacities of participants to better understand the risks and methods of TBML and to put in place effective countermeasures.
In February, we conducted a week-long virtual training on Trade-Based Money Laundering (TMBL) and Illicit financial flows for our French speaking partner States. The training, which was attended by 66 participants from 13 countries, brought together officers from law enforcement agencies (LEA), the Financial Intelligence Units (FIU), customs authorities, public prosecutors and other relevant national agencies from our beneficiary countries.
The exponential growth of the international trading has become very complex exposing many countries to a series of vulnerabilities that can be manipulated by organized criminal groups and their networks to launder money. Considering this complexity, many countries in the east and southern Africa region do not have the adequate capacity to effectively regulate, verify transactions and, detect and identify illegitimate or suspicious activities. To compound this, the weakness of cross-border cooperation and the relatively easier/faster circulation of goods and corresponding financing have exacerbated the risks associated with the international trading system.
And it is against this backdrop that we organised the week’s training sessions. The training aimed to increase awareness of the prevalence and the risks of TBML and to strengthen knowledge and skills of invited trainees to detect, prevent, identify and disrupt TBML and commerce-based illicit financial flows. The training also contributed to strengthening the capacities of participants to better understand the risks and methods of TBML and to put in place effective countermeasures.
