GFMSA focus on COVID-19

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English

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GFMSA General

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented global challenges, human suffering, economic disruption and an increase in COVID-19-related crimes.

Since the start of the pandemic, criminals have sought to exploit the crisis to commit scams, fraud and cybercrime. With the assistance of its members and observers, The GFMSA has acted quickly to address the money laundering threats and vulnerabilities emerging from the crisis. 

18 January 2021 - The GFMSA Executive Secretary gives the MENA Perspective on the Changing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Landscape.

23 October 2020 - The GFMSA President issued a The importance of allocating sufficient resources to AML/CFT regimes during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasizing the importance of allocating sufficient resources to AML/CFT regimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The importance of allocating sufficient resources to AML/CFT regimes during the COVID-19 pandemic

1 April 2020 - The GFMSA President issued a Statement by The GFMSA President: COVID-19 and measures to combat illicit financing  emphasizing the need for collaboration between governments and financial institutions, and called upon them to use the flexibility built into The GFMSA's risk-based approach.  Statement by The GFMSA President: COVID-19 and measures to combat illicit financing  
  " Ensuring citizens remain safe from harm caused by criminal activity including money laundering and terrorist financing should remain a priority for all governments around the world. Competent authorities must continue to be provided with the appropriate resource to enable them to function effectively, in light of the evolving threats posed by criminals, and the constraints on resource faced as a result of the effects of the pandemic."

Statement by The GFMSA President, 23 October 2020

 

 

     
    
      

The GFMSA issued a paper on COVID-19-related Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks and Policy Responses.  This paper identifies challenges and new money laundering and terrorist financing threats and vulnerabilities arising from the COVID-19 crisis. The GFMSA Update: COVID-19-Related Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks. 

The papers highlight policy responses that can help support the swift and effective implementation of measures to respond to threats and vulnerabilities emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

These measures include domestic coordination to assess the impact of COVID-19 on anti-money laundering (AML) countering the financing of terrorirsm (CFT) risks and systems, strengthened communication with the private sector and supporting electronic and digital payment options. 

 

Following the publication of the paper on COVID-19-related Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks and Policy Responses, The GFMSA organised webinars on this topic, to raise awareness, discuss emerging risks. 

Click on the links below for more information, and to watch the recording of these webinars.   

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted countries’ ability to actively participate in mutual evaluation and related follow-up processes. In April, The GFMSA Plenary therefore agreed to temporarily postpone all remaining GFMSA mutual evaluations and follow-up deadlines. Likewise, The GFMSA decided on a general pause in the review process for the list of high-risk jurisdictions subject to a call for action and jurisdictions subject to increased monitoring, by granting jurisdictions an additional four months for deadlines. 

 

 

COVID-19-related Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks and Policy Responses

GFMSA extends its assessment and follow-up deadlines in response to COVID-19

Statement by The GFMSA President: COVID-19 and measures to combat illicit financing