Yury Chikhanchin, Director of Rosfinmonitoring and EAG Chairman, together with Viktor Zubkov, the first Head of the Russian financial intelligence unit and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom PJSC, visited ITMCFM ahead of the 20th anniversary of its establishment.
Ivan Uvarov, Director General of the Centre, briefed the visitors on the ITMCFM’s activities and some of its key achievements.
He noted that in the current year alone the Centre has conducted more than 60 training events for specialists of the national AML/CFT systems of Russia and partner countries.
Yury Chikhanchin and Viktor Zubkov greeted the participants of an EAG assessor training program being held at ITMCFM for representatives of financial intelligence units, law enforcement agencies, and supervisory authorities of Belarus, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
Mr. Zubkov noted that, throughout its existence, ITMCFM has become a recognized platform for the exchange of experience and best practices, as well as for enhancing the professional capacity of AML/CFT specialists across Eurasia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
“In 2005, the Government of the Russian Federation, acting on the initiative of Rosfinmonitoring, decided to establish ITMCFM. Since then, the Centre has been actively involved in specialized international events. It has provided technical assistance to partner countries with the support of experts from Rosfinmonitoring, including during the formation of national AML/CFT systems across the Eurasian region,” said Mr. Zubkov.
As noted by Mr. Chikhanchin, ITMCFM has played a pivotal role in building a national training system for AML/CFT professionals and ensuring the effective functioning of Russia’s anti-money laundering system. He also underscored the importance of conducting training sessions in line with the International Standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
“Representatives of financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and supervisory authorities take part in specialized programs hosted at ITMCFM. This work is particularly relevant in view of preparations for the fifth round of FATF mutual evaluations. It is important to ensure coordinated action and to combine the efforts of all participants in the national AML/CFT system,” said Mr. Chikhanchin.
The guests also visited the EAG Secretariat, where Yury Chikhanchin presented Viktor Zubkov with an award of the Eurasian Group.
