Why do so many jurisdictions score so poorly for the effectiveness of their anti-money laundering systems? What's the biggest problem - prevention or enforcement? Answer from our Basel AML Index 2021 report: Ineffective systems are the general rule, but jurisdictions consistently score worse for prevention than for enforcement. Excerpt:
The Basel AML Index 10th Edition explore four aspects hindering the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF). The first element crunched Financial Action Task Force (FATF) data on how jurisdictions are responding to money laundering threats related to virtual assets. The answer: not well at all. Excerpt from the full report:
The use of virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies is exploding – for legitimate as well as illicit purposes.
This is the 10th Public Edition of the Basel AML Index.
The Basel AML Index is an independent annual ranking that assesses the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) around the world.
Published by the Basel Institute on Governance since 2012, it provides risk scores based on data from 17 publicly available sources such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Transparency International, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum. The risk scores cover five domains:
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s regional body in Latin America, GAFILAT, has welcomed our International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) to join its Asset Recovery Network (Red de Recuperación de Activos del GAFILAT, or RRAG) as an observer member.
The use of virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies has expanded hugely around the world. Thousands of new users are added each day, and more individuals now use cryptocurrencies than trade on stock exchanges. Yet, as with all emerging technologies, there are risks that cryptocurrencies can be used for illegal activity such as money laundering and terrorist financing.
This two-page compilation of suggestions and recommendations was prepared by a group of B20 Integrity & Compliance Task Force members in 2024.
The document aims to support the incoming G20 and B20 presidencies with some ideas and suggestions. Some of these are specific to the B20 Integrity & Compliance Task Force, while others may be applicable to other B20 Taskforces or the B20 more widely.
The Presidency of the G20 rotates each year between member countries, as does the leadership of the B20 – the G20’s voice of business.
The key issue of tackling corruption is picked up almost every year, but not always in the same way or using the same format. This can make it challenging to find historical information including past anti-corruption commitments and related recommendations.
Released today, the 10th annual edition of the Basel AML Index raises grave questions about whether jurisdictions are serious about tackling their money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) risks, and what is holding them back.
The Basel AML Index is an independent annual ranking that assesses ML/TF threats around the world and the capacity of jurisdictions’ anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures to address their specific risks.
See summary report released in December 2021: Boosting Co-operation in Asset Recovery: Exploring the Potential of Private Sector Engagement and Public-Private Collaboration
How can law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence units and private financial institutions such as banks work better together to identify, freeze and confiscate criminal assets?
The ability to forge personal relationships and network with counterparts from other professions and agencies was somewhat lost during the pandemic restrictions. But the latest International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) training programme delivered in Malawi was a strong reminder of just how important this personal networking is in the fight against corruption.