France - Pakistan - Global

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published Mutual Evaluation France 2022. "This report summarises the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) measures in place in France as at the date of the on-site visit from 28 June to 28 July 2021. It analyses the level of compliance with the FATF 40 Recommendations and the level of effectiveness* and provides recommendations on how the system could be strengthened." 

*Assessment of risk, coordination and policy setting; Financial intelligence, ML/TF investigations, prosecutions and confiscation; Preventive measures; Supervision; Transparency and beneficial ownership; International co-operation, etc. 

FATF: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/mutualevaluations/documents/mer-france-2022.html  

 

Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman said optimum resources were being utilized to eradicate the menace of corruption from the country. "He said NAB has been made a functioning institution by introducing various new reforms." 

Associated Press of Pakistan: https://www.app.com.pk/national/optimum-resources-being-utilised-to-eradicate-corruption-nab/ 

 

FINANCIAL SECRECY INDEX 2022 by Tax Justice Network. "Financial secrecy facilitates tax abuse, enables money laundering and undermines the human rights of all. The index identifies the world's biggest suppliers of financial secrecy and spotlights the laws that governments can change to reduce their contribution to financial secrecy." 

Tax Justice Network: https://fsi.taxjustice.net/ 

TI - ICIJ - OECD

[Opinion] UN and the international community must do more to collectively address the type of corruption that results in widespread harm. "To develop more comprehensive and effective solutions, a UN expert working group should be established to bring together specialists from the UN bodies and offices overseeing all relevant agreements, along with experts from civil society, private sector and academia." 

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/un-grand-corruption-organised-crime-break-out-of-silos 

 

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) publishes final batch of Pandora Papers data on more than 9,000 offshore companies, trusts and foundations. "ICIJ believes that providing this data to all for free helps shine light on the offshore economy and, in many cases, the damage it causes." 

ICIJ: https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/icij-publishes-final-batch-of-pandora-papers-data-on-more-than-9000-offshore-companies-trusts-and-foundations/ 

 

[Job announcement] Head of Anti-Corruption Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). "Support the implementation of the Organisation's Programme of Work and Budget and the advancement of the Strategic Orientations of the Secretary-General, in particular as they relate to Anti - Corruption and Anti – bribery." 

UN Jobnet: https://www.unjobnet.org/jobs/detail/41411002   

G7 - Nigeria - U.S.

G7 Germany 2022 - Foreign Ministers' Communiqué. "We recognize the corrosive impact of corruption in undermining public confidence in democracy and remain committed to convening a stronger, more unified voice in our action against corruption. We support and promote the effective implementation of our international anticorruption obligations and commitments, including those made within the G7." 

Germany Federal Foreign Office: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/-/2531266 

 

[Opinion] Digitalisation As Panacea To Corruption At Ports of Nigeria. "We must be on guard against its excesses and the most credible and scientific approach to resolving it is to digitalize the port processes which in turn will reduce human contact." 

New Telegraph Nigeria: https://www.newtelegraphng.com/digitalisation-as-panacea-to-corruption-at-ports/ 

 

U.S. Treasury Department, Outlines Strategy to Fight Terrorist Funding, Illicit Finance. "The 2022 National Strategy for Combatting Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing is meant to strengthen the country's anti-money laundering framework and other threats in the wake of the pandemic, the rise of fraud and corruption and the increased digitalization of the financial world." 

PYMNTS.com: https://www.pymnts.com/news/security-and-risk/2022/treasury-department-promotes-illicit-finance-combat-strategy/ 

U4 – U.K. – Council of Europe

Introduction of U4's publication: Select anti-corruption success stories. "There is far less in terms of anti-corruption success stories that have been studied (due to several factors, including methodological challenges and what anti-corruption success actually means)." 

U4 Anti-corruption Research Centre: https://www.u4.no/publications/select-anti-corruption-success-stories 

 

Queen's Speech: UK government to introduce bill to tackle illicit finance. "A bill will be brought forward to further strengthen powers to tackle illicit finance, reduce economic crime and help businesses grow. Measures will be introduced to support the security services and help them protect the United Kingdom." 

The Block: https://www.theblockcrypto.com/post/145992/queens-speech-uk-government-to-introduce-bill-to-tackle-illicit-finance 

 

Annual Report 2021 by the Council of Europe's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body MONEYVAL. "Governments need to step up their efforts and coordination to combat money laundering and terrorist financing by adopting stricter regulation and supervision of the virtual assets sector and the specialised "gatekeeper" professions" 

The Council of Europe: https://www.coe.int/en/web/moneyval/-/stricter-regulation-of-virtual-assets-and-specialised-gatekeeper-professions-should-be-priorities-in-combating-money-laundering 

U.S. - Africa - C7

The U.S. Government and AIR (Alliance for Innovative Regulation) Announce First TechSprint to Combat Global Corruption. "The Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Department of the Treasury's Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes are partnering with the AIR to support an inaugural Anti-Corruption Solutions through Emerging Technologies (ASET) Global Anti-Corruption TechSprint to combat global corruption." 

Department of State: https://www.state.gov/the-u-s-government-and-air-alliance-for-innovative-regulation-announce-first-techsprint-to-combat-global-corruption/ 

 

Africa Anti-corruption conference concludes with strong commitment for greater collaboration to tackle corruption. "They committed to stronger local, regional, and international cooperation and collaboration among anti-corruption agencies in Commonwealth Africa to enhance the capacity-building of investigators and prosecutors of corruption offences, and to support the speedy and unfettered repatriation of recovered assets." (Read the Communiqué: here) 

The Commonwealth: https://thecommonwealth.org/news/africa-anti-corruption-conference-concludes-strong-commitment-greater-collaboration-tackle 

 

C7 (international civil society) urges G7 to do more to protect civic space and enable anti-corruption efforts. "The G7 must support civil society so they can deliver on their promise of a more just and equitable world. When authoritarianism takes control into the hands of a few, social movements are the last remaining check on power – but they are struggling." 

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/g7-urged-to-do-more-to-protect-civic-space-and-enable-anti-corruption-efforts 

U.K. - Ukraine - Tanzania

In the U.K., Golden Visas issued to investors of university age or below prompted anti-corruption campaigners to warn that kleptocrats may have used their children to secure the permits. "Instead of attracting major entrepreneurs, it was used to open the door to the scions of wealthy families - including from countries where that presented a heightened risk of receiving illicit funds." 

Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-04/gen-z-millionaires-buying-golden-visas-in-the-u-k-raises-alarm 

 

Ukraine Allows All Accused Of Corruption To Payback During War & Escape Criminal Liability. "The enactment of this measure is critical in order to develop private sources of cash mobilisation without jeopardising criminal justice obligations." 

Republicworld.com: https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/ukraine-allows-all-accused-of-corruption-to-payback-during-war-and-escape-criminal-liability-articleshow.html 

 

Tanzania's educational institutions to establish anti-corruption clubs which will play a key role in the fight against corruption. "Go and establish anti-graft clubs in college and universities so that every student understands the negative effects of the vice even at workplaces." 

Ippmedia: https://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/establishanticorruption-clubs-educational-institutions-urged   

Papua New Guinea - FATF - Vietnam

Papua New Guinea anti-corruption funding update. "The government can still decide to reallocate funding to prop up these anti-corruption organisations." 

DEVPOLICY blog: https://devpolicy.org/png-anti-corruption-funding-update-20220429/ 

 

FATF President's phenomenal speech at the AML Intelligence Public Private Summit. "We see that weaknesses remain in investigating and prosecuting high-profile cross-border cases, and preventing anonymous shell companies and trusts from being used for illicit purposes." 

AML Intelligence: https://www.amlintelligence.com/2022/04/exclusive-fatf-presidents-phenomenal-speech-at-amli-ppp-summit/ 

 

Vietnamese Central anti-corruption committee discusses settlement of corruption cases. "Since the beginning of the year, assets worth over 2.05 trillion VND (89.25 million USD) have been seized and frozen, while nearly 4 trillion VND has been recovered." 

Vietnam plus: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/central-anticorruption-committee-discusses-settlement-of-corruption-cases/227664.vnp