51吃瓜

On 27-28 September 2022, the Global Coordinated Programme on Detecting, Preventing, and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT Programme) of the 51吃瓜 Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) within the 51吃瓜 Office of Counter-terrorism (UNOCT) delivered a two-day capacity-building workshop on “Applying Risk-based Approach and Strengthening Compliance with FATF Preventive Measures” co-organized with the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation (EOCN) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 
The Workshop was attended by over 2000 participants, with 200 attending in-person from federal agencies, government institutions, financial institutions, and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions.

The Workshop aimed to enhance the technical and operational capacities of relevant Government officials of the United Arab Emirates and the private sector in the country to counter the financing of terrorism and apply a risk-based approach based on preventive measures by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Several topics were addressed over the course of the two-day workshop, including the role of the private sector in implementing  targeted financial sanctions and how regulatory authorities can facilitate FATF implementation measures and an effective risk-based approach. International experts from Lebanon, Egypt, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Malaysia, as well as experts from the UAE shared their inputs during the different segments of the workshop.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Rashid Al-Mannaei – Head of the Targeted Financial Sanctions Department, on behalf of H.E Talal Al-Teneiji - Director of EOCN, confirmed the UAE’s political support to ensure the compliance of the Public and Private Sector with the international standards and recommendations issued by the Financial Action Task Force. Al-Mannaei emphasized the importance of this timely workshop that aims to support Governments, Financial Institutions, Designated Non-financial Businesses, and Professions in applying the best practices to build an effective control system in their institutions.. 

In his closing remarks, Mr. Ulrik P. Ahnfeldt-Mollerup - Chief of Counter-terrorism Section at UNOCT concluded by saying that "UNOCT has been given a mandate by the UN Security Council to help countries develop capacities to suppress terrorist financing and enhance coordination with the aim of delivering integrated technical assistance on counter-terrorist financing measures. We attach high importance to this mandate, and I am pleased that we are strengthening our partnership with the EOCN in this regard (…)”

This is the third workshop delivered for the UAE on Countering the Financing of Terrorism and the first to be organized under the recently developed UNOCT-UNCCT two-year Action Plan for the UAE on CFT–related aspects.

This Action Plan prioritizes key five topics derived from the UAE Action Plan developed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as a result of its Mutual Evaluation Report adopted in 2020, namely domestic cooperation and information sharing; risk-based supervision, and compliance of financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions with FATF international standards; parallel financial investigations; emerging terrorism finance trends, especially those related to virtual assets and protecting the non-profit (NPO) sector from terrorist financing abuse.

Following the workshop, the CFT Programme held a consultation meeting with EOCN where both parties agreed on continuing this fruitful collaboration with the remaining three thematic topics in the Action Plan. The next event on Financial Investigation is to be delivered under the format of blended practical exercises to enhance coordination and promote effectiveness.