OSCE facilitates co-operation on anti-money laundering between Ukraine’s and Kyrgyzstan’s Financial Intelligence Services
BISHKEK, 12 July 2013 – A week-long needs assessment to identify top priorities for increasing the investigative and legal capacity of Kyrgyzstan’s State Financial Intelligence Service to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, organized with support of the OSCE, ended today in Bishkek.
The assessment was conducted by Alexey Feshchenko, the First Deputy Head of Ukraine’s State Financial Monitoring Service and an expert in the area of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. During his visit, he met representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s law enforcement agencies and international organizations and diplomatic missions engaged in these activities.
Feshchenko shared with Kyrgyzstan’s officials the experience of Ukraine regarding the successful withdrawal from the list of nations perceived by the Financial Action Task Force as non-cooperative in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. Ukraine was removed from this list in 2011 after the Task Force reported “significant progress” in addressing a number of legal and technical deficiencies. Kyrgyzstan, however, is still listed as “committed and addressing” similar deficiencies.
Melis Mambetjanov, the Chairman of Kyrgyzstan’s State Financial Intelligence Service, said: “Since the Kyrgyz Republic is still on the list of the Financial Action Task Force, having an international expert sharing his knowledge and expertise on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing was quite important for us. During Feshchenko’s visit, the training centres of Kyrgyzstan’s and Ukraine’s financial intelligence services agreed to co-operate in the training of personnel, as well as scientific and applied research.”
“Kyrgyzstan takes part in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing,” Feshchenko said. “But since criminals constantly improve their methods, international standards in this field have to evolve accordingly. As a consequence, the Financial Action Task Force developed a new set of standards in 2012, the adoption of which will require some changes in the national legislation. I am sure that Kyrgyzstan’s legislation will be brought in accordance with international standards.”
Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Centre, added: “Kyrgyzstan’s government made several positive steps to move the country out of the Task Force’s list. The OSCE supports the criminalization of terrorist financing and the law on this signed by the President.
“However, there are other important requirements that should be fulfilled for the country to be taken off this list. We encourage the government to make the fight against money laundering one of its priorities, which would strengthen the integrity of the financial system, decrease corruption and improve the investment climate.”