Nizhny Novgorod hosted the plenary session of the International Research-to-Practice Forum “Topical Issues of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism” on April 24-26.
Among the speakers were: Yury Chikhanchin, Director of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, Nikolay Zhuravlev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Gleb Nikitin, Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, representatives of the UN, CSTO, ITMCFM, relevant agencies and organizations from Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, the UAE, and Uzbekistan. The discussion was moderated by Nikolay Kolachevsky, Director of Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, and Ekaterina Kameneva, Vice-Rector of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
In his opening address, Rosfinmonitoring Director Yury Chikhanchin underscored the imperative of a unified AML/CFT strategy to combat common threats such as international terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, corruption, and the exploitation of advanced technology by criminals. He emphasized the need for countries to amalgamate their national anti-money laundering systems, in alignment with FATF Recommendations, to mitigate these risks effectively.
“As one should note, AML/CFT cooperation among countries enables joint efforts to significantly contribute to a secure world. Despite the diversity and broad geographic representation of Forum participants, we are united by one goal – to enhance international cooperation and mitigate shared risks and threats to security, especially financial security,” said Mr. Chikhanchin.
The Forum emphasized preventive measures against current threats, the enhancement of financial transparency, the development of regulatory frameworks, the augmentation of international information exchange, and the advancement of modern tools for analyzing cryptocurrency transactions.
Nikolay Zhuravlev spoke to the participants. He pointed out that one of the ways to mitigate risks is through legislation:
“An established dialogue between legislators and law enforcement officials across countries and the exchange of best regulatory practices and solutions could enhance the quality of legislation. The effort is ongoing at several international venues. St. Petersburg will host the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in July this year. The EAG Parliamentarians' Forum is actively engaged, too.”
Gleb Nikitin, Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, announced the regional government's dedication to integrated cooperation with other countries:
“In 2024, Nizhny Novgorod region will host a number of BRICS activities. There are indeed many challenges. But by working together based on principles of equality, partner support, and respect for mutual interests, we can truly address the most pressing global and regional issues.”
Margarita Andronova, Director General of ITMCFM, in her speech highlighted the need to promote international cooperation in AML/CFT personnel training:
“Today, the challenges of money laundering, terrorist financing, and overall financial security transcend national boundaries, becoming universal concerns that affect nations worldwide, irrespective of borders or nationality. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a unified international educational framework to facilitate collaboration among scientists, educators, professionals, students, and schoolchildren from diverse countries.”
Participants of the plenary session discussed methods of mitigating common risks, matters of international cooperation in countering terrorist financing, and shared experience and best practices in combating financial crimes, including money laundering.
Reference: the International Research-to-Practice Forum “Topical Issues of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism” brought together over 400 participants from more than 20 countries. The Forum was held in Nizhny Novgorod on April 24-26 and featured round tables and panel discussions, BRICS and CIS events, the International Supervisors’ Forum, the International Compliance Council, the International Student Research-to-Practice Conference, and other events.
