The United States contributed $400,000 US dollars for the implementation of an initiative in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Programme Office in the Kyrgyz Republic under the so-called "Capacity building for effective identifying and recovering the proceeds of crime in Kyrgyzstan" project.
This initiative is made possible thanks to the generous financial support from the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Affairs Section (INL) at the Embassy of the United States of America in Bishkek. The project will improve the national legal framework, strengthen international and inter-agency cooperation in countering illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime, as well as enhance the professional skills of the State Financial Intelligence Service's (SFIS) staff in anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
"Strengthening of the national system in anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism is the priority area of operation for the State Financial Intelligence Service (SFIS)", said Mr. Gulamjan Anarbayev, Chairperson of the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. "Our Service supports in full the implementation of UNODC's project which enhances strengthening of the system in anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism in light of new tendencies and priorities in countering the transnational threats in the country".
On March 15, the first working meeting of the group in Kyrgyzstan on SFIS matters during which the chairman of the State Financial Intelligence Service, director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section and representative of UNODC approved the action plan for 2019. It includes the analysis and revision of national legislation on countering corruption and economic crime, money laundering, and financing of terrorism in the Kyrgyz Republic, trainings, the capacity building of law enforcement staff and SFIS as well as SFIS participation in a number of international events. At the meeting, INL Director Sandeep Paul remarked, "Success in this important endeavor should be measured by a significant increase in the identification, investigation and prosecution of illicit drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime cases.
According to Mr. Yusuf Kurbanov, International Programme Coordinator at UNODC in Central Asia: "effective system of combatting money laundering and terrorism financing requires cooperation and commitment from the government and private sector".
Important to note that in May 2019, Kyrgyz Republic with the support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Programme Office in the Kyrgyz Republic will participate at the 30-th Plenary Meeting of the Eurasian Group on combatting money laundering and financing of terrorism Eurasian Group and will represent a progress report.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is the guardian of the UN convention against Transnational Organized Crime, supports the UN Convention against Corruption and acts in line with the Global UNODC programme Against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and Financing of Terrorism (GPML).
The UNODC operation on strengthening legislation on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, enhancing international and inter-agency cooperation of SFIS, and building the capacity of SFIS staff will be conducted as part of UNODC sub-programme 1 "Combating transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking and prevention terrorism» of the UNODC Program for Central Asia 2015-2019.
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