Financial Crime World

Jordan Takes Step Forward in Combating Terrorism Financing with UNODC Workshop

Strengthening Capabilities Against Terrorism Financing

Amman, Jordan - Jordan has joined forces with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to host a workshop on Strategic and Tactical Analysis in Crimes of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The event was held from February 15th to 17th and brought together key representatives from the Central Bank of Iraq and the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Office (Iraq’s Financial Intelligence Unit - FIU) to enhance their skills and knowledge on international standards and protocols related to financial intelligence.

Workshop Objectives

  • Enhance analytical skills required to trace financial transactions back to suspects and criminals
  • Explore strategic analysis techniques, best practices, and real-life case studies, including cases related to human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and foreign terrorist fighters

Interactive Discussions and Presentations

The three-day workshop featured interactive discussions and presentations that provided a comprehensive review of anti-money laundering (AML) and countering financing of terrorism (CFT) analytical skills. Participants explored strategic analysis techniques, best practices, and real-life case studies, including cases related to human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and foreign terrorist fighters.

Larger Project Aim

The workshop is part of a larger project funded by Japan aimed at increasing awareness among financial reporting institutions on money laundering and terrorism financing crimes. The project, titled “Disrupting Terrorist and Organized Criminal Operations, Including the Spreading of Violent Extremism in the MENA Region,” aims to strengthen capacities to detect, intercept, and investigate criminal or terrorist groups operating in Iraq.

Additional Objectives

  • Support authorities in dealing with youth who have been exploited by terrorist groups
  • Support families living in challenging conditions to prevent potential radicalization
  • Assess challenges faced by financial institutions (FIs) and money or value transfer services (MVTSs) in detecting and reporting suspicious transactions
  • Provide training sessions for selected officials from FIs and MVTSs on reporting financial suspicious transactions

Success of the Workshop

The success of this workshop demonstrates Jordan’s commitment to combating terrorism financing and its willingness to collaborate with international partners to strengthen its capabilities in this area.