EAG financial intelligence unit’s experts take part in an international conference on the training and retraining AML/CFT staff

The conference took place in Moscow on April 22, 2009.

The discussion centered on the problems of building a comprehensive system for level-based training and retraining of AML/CFT specialists in the Eurasian region, providing training as part of career development programs in this sphere, and integrating AML/CFT topics into the general curriculum of higher education establishments. Special focus was made on concept approaches to training compliance officers of the institutions that perform monetary funds and other assets transactions.

Alongside representatives of financial intelligence units of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, the conference was attended by representatives of the Association of Russian Banks, the international law firm Ernst and Young, and educators from the leading universities and specialized educational institutions.

The conference took place at the International Training and Methodological Center of Financial Monitoring established by the Russian financial intelligence unit—the Federal Financial Monitoring Service—in 2005 to enable Russia’s participation in EAG efforts.

A keynote speech was delivered by Head of the Organized Crime Department of the Kyrgyz Financial Intelligence Service, Tilek Sayakbayev, titled “Experience and Prospects: Professional Training of AML/CFT Specialists as Exemplified by the Kyrgyz Republic”. The speech pointed out that the Kyrgyz Financial Intelligence Service is working on organizing professional staff training and is negotiating with the management of national universities to create specialized AML chairs within the departments of economics, law, and IT.

Mr. Sayakbayev also expressed his gratitude to the International Training and Methodological Center of Financial Monitoring, which conducts comprehensive research and provides AML/CFT training, successfully accumulating the experience of regional and international academic and research institutions and financial intelligence units. Mr. Sayakbayev pointed out that the first wave of short-term career development training for educators of EAG member states could contribute substantially to the process of training AML/CFT specialists in the Eurasian region.

Since 2008, the International Training and Methodology Centre for Financial Monitoring is providing licensed training services on the following short-term career development programs:

• Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (72 academic hours);
• Financial Monitoring and Control (144 academic hours).

Efforts are currently underway to adapt courses and programs to specific needs of EAG member states.

It is also expected that, come the new academic year, training of specialists of EAG member states in combating money laundering and terrorist financing will take place at Moscow Engineering Physics Institute as part of Russia’s implementation of the technical assistance program for Group member states.