Challenges in combating corruption and financial crimes focus of OSCE-supported workshop in Minsk

A specialized workshop for Belarus law enforcement officials on challenges in combating corruption and financial crimes that make use of new technologies concluded on 27 November 2018 in Minsk.

The workshop was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in co-operation with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and with the support of the Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee of Belarus. The workshop aimed at discussing tools and methods to investigate corruption crimes that are committed with the involvement of new digital technologies.

The participants discussed the early detection and prevention of corruption and financial crimes, as well as aspects of international co-operation in this area. Workshop participants also discussed the experiences and best practices of other OSCE participating States in countering the use of new technologies for criminal purposes.

“Advances in technology are rapidly transforming our societies and our way of life,” said Andrei Muntean, Senior Economic Adviser at the OSCE OCEEA. “However, they are also giving new tools to criminals and digitalization is a big contributor to the globalization of corruption.”

Igar Marshalov, Deputy Chairperson of the State Control Committee of Belarus, said: “The fast-growing digital sector of economy attracts both legitimate business and criminals. This workshop will contribute to the participants’ capacity to identify and prevent corruption and financial crimes in the digital era.”

The workshop is a continuation of the discussions conducted during the roundtable meeting on combating corruption and financial crimes organized by the OSCE/OCEEA in partnership with the Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee of Belarus in December 2017 in Minsk. It also follows up on the workshop on combating misuse of Darknet and cryptocurrencies for corruption and financial crimes organized in co-operation with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in June 2018 in Vienna.