scholarly journals From Dusk to Dawn: Analysis of Anti-Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) through Policymaking Stages in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-107
Author(s):  
Daniyar Sarbagishev ◽  
Mergen Dyussenov

The article looks into Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) policy issues through all stages of a policymaking process, across two Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic . It does so through the prism of the role of key actors at each stage of policymaking. Among the key findings of this paper is that the implementation of anti-laundering policy in Kyrgyzstan has constantly been confronted with opposition from a range of key actors, specifically fractions within the parliament, as well as business communities and NGOs, while Kazakhstan faced policy implementation hurdles in a much less degree since both chambers of the national parliament did not express open resistance to the adoption of new amendments to the basic Law. Despite the higher resistance to AML/CFT policy implementation in the Kyrgyz parliament vis-à-vis its Kazakh counterpart, Kyrgyz Republic succeeded in passing the new Law due to a change in political power in 2017. Although both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic appear to move in the same policy direction overall while taking adequate measures to improve their AML/CFT policy systems in accordance with international standards, the specific stages of policymaking reveal interesting discrepancies, especially at the policy formulation and decision-making stages. This research appears to be the first and somewhat unique scholarly attempt to analyze a policy issue through a comprehensive policymaking cycle, i.e. all the way from agenda-setting to policy evaluation. More importantly, it looks into Central Asian context, the region that remains largely understudied.

Author(s):  
Оlga Pereverzyeva ◽  
Vasif Gadjiev

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the legal nature of FATF, the process of its creation, the legal principles of activity,as well as the speciality of its legal entity. Attention is also devoted to the main Conventions, which were signed on the eve of The FirstWorld War and after The Second World War and shows the main preconditions and reasons for the creation of the intergovernmentalorganization FATF.The ongoing growth of the drug business, the expansion of its geographical boundaries, increasingly sophisticated and dangerousforms of this criminal business, the struggle of states on large-scale crime related to the legalization of criminal proceeds led to the creationof FATF and it achieved important results in this area.FATF cannot be considered by an international organization because it has not been established on the basis of an internationaltreaty and does not have an approved statute. However, despite this, FATF has a decision to establish a group – this is the legal basisfor its activities and is an intergovernmental organization. Analysis of FATF’s activities shows that FATF’s initial priority was to combatlaundering of proceeds from drug trafficking. Today FATF’s activities have three main directions: expanding the actions of its adoptedrecommendations to all continents and regions of the globe; checking how member states are executed and how anti-money launderingmeasures are implemented in other states, based on 40 plus 9 FATF recommendations that are guidance to action; tracking worldwidemethods and schemes of laundering criminally used capital and developing countermeasures. To date, a set of 40 FATF recommendationsand 9 Special Recommendations for Countering The Financing of Terrorism is a set of universal standards that lead to a successfulfight against money laundering. The new version of this document was adopted in 1996, 2003 and 2012. One of FATF activities is todefine so-called non-cooperative countries and territories and make their list, which is called the «blacklist». Although the country’sinclusion in the “blacklist” does not lead to the application of sanctions by the world community, it indicates a degree of trust in it onthe part of foreign investors. Lacking the status of an international legal act, FATF’s recommendations in practice received generalrecognition as universal international standards in the field of anti-money laundering. Successful work on counteracting the launderingof dirty funds should be carried out simultaneously at two levels – at international and national levels. FATF functions – to monitor theprocesses of implementation of such measures, to study ways and techniques of money laundering, to develop preventive and preventivemeasures, to promote the global implementation of anti-money laundering standards. FATF’s recommendations in practice receivedgeneral recognition as universal international standards in the field of anti-money laundering. Every year FATF organizes meetings onthe analysis of methods and trends related to combating the laundering of criminal proceeds and financing of terrorism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 793-804
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ahmad Naheem

Purpose The recent diplomatic split between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Qatar with accusations of terrorist financing (TF). This paper aims to study Qatar’s domestic legislations, which specifically targets money laundering and TF activities. The country has stringently worked in compliance with international standards on combating financing of terrorism (CFT) and anti-money laundering (AML) practices by imparting autonomous power to regulatory bodies, such as the Qatar Central Bank and other agencies. Design/methodology/approach This paper studies independent legislations passed under the Emir’s decree over the past decade advancing Qatar’s AML ranking, with significant effort in CFT regulations. The paper also analyses the advancement in AML/CFT regulation and their validity with respect to international standards set by various governmental, intergovernmental and non-profit agencies. Findings The analysis finds Qatar in compliance with strong AML/CFT regulations. Further, it finds the government to have provided transparent oversight to international organizations that attest to the findings of the legislative efforts. This paper disproves claims and accusations that have possibly been presented to the GCC and subsequently led members to abruptly end diplomatic relations with Qatar over allegations of TF activities, amongst others. Originality/value The paper offers insight into Qatar’s legislative and regulatory advancement with respect to the AML/CTF in the past decade. The paper also discusses Qatar’s legislative advancement in relation to the evolutions of the country’s financial system, adopting a more robust mechanism to combat financing of terrorism and ML.


Policy Papers ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 (57) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  

The purpose of this note is to inform the Executive Board of the amendments made to the standard on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—the standard setter for AML/CFT—adopted on February 16, 2012 a revised standard, now entitled the “International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation: the FATF Recommendations.”


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Дина Гехова ◽  
Dina Gekhova

The article notes that the Eurasian group on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism (EAG) is the largest of the regional FATF-type bodies (Group of development of financial measures for combating money laundering — Financial Action Task Force, FATF) from the point of view of the entire area and population of member States and it covers such countries as Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Observer status in the EAG has been granted to 16 States and 14 international and regional organizations. The key task of the EAG is to assist the regional States in the creation and development of national systems to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism. The implementation of this task is conducive to the economic security and stability of the region, it also prevents the threat of international terrorism and helps to increase investment attractiveness of the region. Republic of Kazakhstan, as a young member of the international community, in the beginning of its career was sympathetic to the recommendations and requirements of the world community to conform its domestic legislation to the norms and provisions of international law. Naturally, it was a time consuming process but today we can safely say that, overall, domestic law and criminal legislation of Kazakhstan, in particular the General principles, are consistent with international standards in this area. It propounds that Republic of Kazakhstan as a responsible member of the international community, it consistently seeks to implement the recommendations and provisions of international legal norms, and today the domestic law of Kazakhstan on countering the legalization of illegal income is in full compliance with the world standards.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Truby

Purpose Under scrutiny in light of the growing threat of international terrorism, Qatar faces pressure and accusations that it is not doing enough to counter terror financing and clamp down money laundering. The issue is not that Qatar is avoiding positive action, but that by the time measures are implemented, they become outdated because the international community has by then tightened its regulatory requirements. Qatar’s slow pace has led to a case of cat-and-mouse chase with respect to updating its standards, with a revised set of rules being required by the time Qatar implements the last set of international standards. This study aims to draw on lessons from the past to help Qatar avoid findings of it falling below international standards in the upcoming 2017 mutual evaluation. Design/methodology/approach The primary purpose of this article is to catalogue Qatar’s efforts to comply with international anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terror finance standards. It demonstrates the real legislative progress post-2008 recorded by Qatar to minimize money laundering and terrorist financing. The paper also contests the view that Qatari law is insufficient. Findings The paper explains Qatar’s efforts to comply with the recommendations made by each evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It also highlights the potential for Qatar to be caught out again by the evolution of international expectations in an upcoming review, which, it is understood, is likely to take place in 2017. Originality/value No article exists specifically on this research field. As Qatar prepares for its 2017 FATF evaluation, it should be reminded of the need to comply with all new standards.


Author(s):  
Оlga Pereverzyeva ◽  
Vasif Gadjiev

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the legal nature of FATF, the process of its creation, the legal principles of activity,as well as the speciality of its legal entity. Attention is also devoted to the main Conventions, which were signed on the eve of The FirstWorld War and after The Second World War and shows the main preconditions and reasons for the creation of the intergovernmentalorganization FATF.The ongoing growth of the drug business, the expansion of its geographical boundaries, increasingly sophisticated and dangerousforms of this criminal business, the struggle of states on large-scale crime related to the legalization of criminal proceeds led to the creationof FATF and it achieved important results in this area.FATF cannot be considered by an international organization because it has not been established on the basis of an internationaltreaty and does not have an approved statute. However, despite this, FATF has a decision to establish a group – this is the legal basisfor its activities and is an intergovernmental organization. Analysis of FATF’s activities shows that FATF’s initial priority was to combatlaundering of proceeds from drug trafficking. Today FATF’s activities have three main directions: expanding the actions of its adoptedrecommendations to all continents and regions of the globe; checking how member states are executed and how anti-money launderingmeasures are implemented in other states, based on 40 plus 9 FATF recommendations that are guidance to action; tracking worldwidemethods and schemes of laundering criminally used capital and developing countermeasures. To date, a set of 40 FATF recommendationsand 9 Special Recommendations for Countering The Financing of Terrorism is a set of universal standards that lead to a successfulfight against money laundering. The new version of this document was adopted in 1996, 2003 and 2012. One of FATF activities is todefine so-called non-cooperative countries and territories and make their list, which is called the «blacklist». Although the country’sinclusion in the “blacklist” does not lead to the application of sanctions by the world community, it indicates a degree of trust in it onthe part of foreign investors. Lacking the status of an international legal act, FATF’s recommendations in practice received generalrecognition as universal international standards in the field of anti-money laundering. Successful work on counteracting the launderingof dirty funds should be carried out simultaneously at two levels – at international and national levels. FATF functions – to monitor theprocesses of implementation of such measures, to study ways and techniques of money laundering, to develop preventive and preventivemeasures, to promote the global implementation of anti-money laundering standards. FATF’s recommendations in practice receivedgeneral recognition as universal international standards in the field of anti-money laundering. Every year FATF organizes meetings onthe analysis of methods and trends related to combating the laundering of criminal proceeds and financing of terrorism.


Author(s):  
Richard Pomfret

This book analyzes the Central Asian economies of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, from their buffeting by the commodity boom of the early 2000s to its collapse in 2014. The book examines the countries' relations with external powers and the possibilities for development offered by infrastructure projects as well as rail links between China and Europe. The transition of these nations from centrally planned to market-based economic systems was essentially complete by the early 2000s, when the region experienced a massive increase in world prices for energy and mineral exports. This raised incomes in the main oil and gas exporters, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; brought more benefits to the most populous country, Uzbekistan; and left the poorest countries, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, dependent on remittances from migrant workers in oil-rich Russia and Kazakhstan. The book considers the enhanced role of the Central Asian nations in the global economy and their varied ties to China, the European Union, Russia, and the United States. With improved infrastructure and connectivity between China and Europe (reflected in regular rail freight services since 2011 and China's announcement of its Belt and Road Initiative in 2013), relaxation of UN sanctions against Iran in 2016, and the change in Uzbekistan's presidency in late 2016, a window of opportunity appears to have opened for Central Asian countries to achieve more sustainable economic futures.


Author(s):  
Anara Kamalova

This article deals with the state of marketing and its role in strengthening macroeconomic indicators of the Kyrgyz Republic, but it does not apply in the country properly. The need for the use of state marketing is intensifying with the entering of Kyrgyzstan to EEU as a member. To improve the structure of foreign trade, it is proposed marketing initiatives and research on the study of the external market, the internal potential of the country, specialization of production, the creation of "umbrella brand" for the country, the best way of satisfying consumers of public services, effective control of the quality and safety of products, regulation of the relevant parameters, that meet international standards, the fight against counterfeit, creating a positive image of Kyrgyzstan in the world and others.


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