The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is delighted to announce the successful completion of its first regional training program on "Counter-Proliferation Financing International Norms and Sanctions." This intensive 5-day program took place in Singapore from October 23 to 27, 2023.
With the support of UNICRI's team of experts, twenty-four government officials from key national agencies in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and the Philippines participated in this intensive comprehensive training initiative. The participants represented a diverse array of institutions, including the Financial Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, law enforcement agencies, judiciary bodies, and Central Banks.
The regional training delved into international Counter-Proliferation Financing (CPF) obligations and standards, equipping participants with essential tools to enhance national compliance with these important instruments. The curriculum included engaging lectures, interactive discussions, in-depth case study analyses, and practical exercises simulating real-life scenarios related to sanctions enforcement.
Over the course of five intense days, participants engaged in various group activities aimed at fostering regional cooperation in dealing with this inherently transnational crime. The final table-top exercise provided the opportunity to put into practice all the knowledge acquired through the seven in-depth technical modules.
Upon successfully completing the training, participants are now equipped with the technical knowledge needed for the more advanced regional training program on proliferation financing investigation and disruption, scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. UNICRI is also actively working on the development, publication, and distribution of guidelines and handbooks for the timely identification of red flags associated with suspected proliferation finance. These resources will be disseminated among private sector stakeholders in the three partner countries.
Through this combined approach of theory and practice, UNICRI aims to establish a sustainable network of national CPF experts who can effectively ensure compliance with and enforcement of international obligations and standards at the national level, ultimately improving the overall counter-proliferation financing regime.
Current Initiatives and Future Programming
Strengthening Capacities to Identify and Mitigate CBRN Proliferation Financing Risks in Southeast Asia – Phase I and II: Thanks to the generous support of the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), this project intends to enhance the capabilities of Financial Intelligence Units, financial investigators, Central Banks, and reporting entities to identify, investigate, and disrupt proliferation financing schemes and procurement networks. This initiative also lays the foundation for a longer-term engagement, with plans to establish a UN-led global initiative on disrupting proliferation finance. It is important to note that assistance in this area has thus far been fragmented, and there is a pressing need for a comprehensive global initiative. UNICRI aims to address this gap by developing a program that can be implemented globally and address critical capacity-building needs.
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