International cooperation

Peru and Ecuador join forces against transnational organised crime

The Attorneys General of Peru and Ecuador have signed an agreement establishing a joint investigation team to pursue a major transnational organised crime investigation spanning both countries. Signed on 29 September 2026 in Peru’s Sacred Valley, on the margins of the General Assembly of the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors AIAMP , the agreement culminates a complex bilateral process supported by the Basel Institute on Governance’s International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR . ICAR already provides technical assistance to the investigations in Peru and Ecuador and will continue that support within the joint framework. Why is a joint investigation team needed? It helps solve a simple but increasingly urgent problem. Organised criminal groups can operate across borders as integrated structures, while criminal justice systems remain largely confined within national boundaries. Those boundaries can become barriers to effective prosecution in complex transnational cases. Joint investigation teams help narrow that gap by enabling prosecutors and investigators from different jurisdictions to plan investigative steps, coordinate evidence gathering and develop a common strategy. A high-level commitment to investigate together The agreement was signed during a closed high-level session held alongside the AIAMP meeting, bringing together senior prosecutors and international cooperation officials from both countries. Peru was represented by Attorney General Tomás Gálvez, together with senior prosecutors responsible for international cooperation, organised crime and asset recovery. Ecuador was represented by Acting Attorney General Leonardo Alarcón and the head of the prosecution service’s international affairs office. ICAR’s Latin America team facilitated the session and will continue supporting implementation under its longstanding cooperation frameworks with the prosecution services of both countries. Attorney General Tomás Gálvez emphasised: The agreement is important, but it is only the starting point. What matters now is that the authorities trust each other and work together. These criminal organisations do not respect borders, and neither country can face them alone. We need close and constant cooperation. If we do not act now, violence will continue to grow, citizens will be at greater risk and the State will lose control in places where criminal groups are already trying to impose their own rules. Gálvez also thanked the Basel Institute for its longstanding support and for helping to facilitate and provide technical assistance to the establishment of the joint investigation team. Acting Attorney General Leonardo Alarcón likewise emphasised the importance of sustained institutional backing. Thanking his Peruvian counterparts for their reception, he committed the Ecuadorian prosecution service to supporting an investigation whose scale and cross-border character require close cooperation between the two institutions. Alarcón asked his international cooperation team to maintain close coordination on the case and acknowledged ICAR’s contribution to bringing the two prosecution services together around the new investigative framework. In depth: Joint investigation teams in Latin America Joint investigation teams represent a welcome development in investigative practice, particularly for complex cases that cannot be effectively addressed within the boundaries of a single jurisdiction. Putting them into practice in Latin America, however, is not always straightforward. Unlike Europe, the region has no harmonised legal framework governing their establishment and operation. Each arrangement must therefore be built around the applicable international instruments and the procedural rules of the participating countries. This requires a careful balance. Joint work must respect the powers, procedures and safeguards of each sovereign State while remaining consistent with international standards of cooperation. That balance is not always easy to achieve, but it is particularly important where the seriousness and urgency of the crimes under investigation demand a faster and more integrated response. Challenges around evidence Evidence provides a good example of trying to strike that balance in practice. A joint investigation can make its collection and exchange considerably more direct, but this must be accompanied by clear rules on documentation, chain of custody and procedural safeguards. Evidence gathered jointly must ultimately withstand scrutiny before a court and be capable of resisting challenges by the defence. Otherwise, a criminal trial intended to determine guilt and responsibility risks becoming a lengthy dispute over whether the evidence can be admitted or relied upon at all. Cross-border cooperation under review Procedural regulation of joint investigation teams remains limited in many countries in the region. In addition, the existence of an agreement to investigate jointly does not, by itself, remove the requirements that normally govern international criminal cooperation between sovereign States. Depending on the measure involved, issues such as dual criminality, specialty, judicial authorisation and other procedural safeguards may still need to be satisfied. How these principles apply will have to be assessed case-by-case as the joint investigation develops, particularly where evidence is intended for use before national courts. In Peru, experience from this and other cases has already informed a proposal, technically supported by the Basel Institute, to introduce specific provisions on joint investigation teams into the Criminal Procedure Code, making use of the Attorney General’s power to submit legislative initiatives. The aim is to provide greater legal certainty for future joint investigations while preserving the flexibility that makes the mechanism useful in practice. Asset recovery built into the joint investigation A notable feature of the agreement is that asset recovery is incorporated into the joint investigative framework from the outset. Under the agreement, Peru and Ecuador established a common framework on how to coordinate the identification, tracing, securing and eventual confiscation of assets across both jurisdictions, rather than leaving these questions to a later stage of the investigation. This gives practical effect to a principle widely recognised in organised crime investigations across the region: disrupting criminal organisations also means targeting the financial structures that sustain them. Oscar Solórzano emphasised: In the face of increasingly complex and global crime, cooperation between states is the only way to respond effectively. We need to make efficient use of all the bilateral and regional cooperation mechanisms at our disposal and overcome the traditional dichotomy between criminals operating in an organised fashion and criminal justice systems operating in silos. That is the spirit of this joint investigation team. The aim is to achieve concrete results through coordinated operations and procedures that enable us to go after criminal networks and, at the same time, dismantle the financial structures that sustain them.” In a cross-border investigation, a coordinated asset recovery strategy allows authorities to assess, as the case develops, which legal tools available in each jurisdiction offer the best prospect of tracing, securing and ultimately recovering assets. Clear rules can also help them anticipate how measures will be coordinated and how confiscated assets may eventually be disposed of or shared under the applicable legal framework. Broader relevance to asset recovery outcomes in Latin America For ICAR and the wider Basel Institute, this is particularly relevant. Our long-standing work on asset recovery and international cooperation in Latin America provides a strong basis for this more integrated form of support. It also requires closer links with partners that can help address practical challenges arising in joint investigations. The Basel Institute is currently concluding a memorandum of understanding with IberRed aimed at strengthening support for the secure exchange and transfer of information and evidence. These efforts reflect how ICAR combines operational support with applied knowledge drawn from real cases and cooperation processes. Learn more - See the Peruvian Government press release in Spanish : Ministerio Público y Fiscalía General de Ecuador conforman equipo conjunto contra la criminalidad organizada transnacional. - Learn more about the Basel Institute's asset recovery work and current programmes in Latin America.

Latin American practitioners join forces against evolving financial crime

Cryptoassets are transforming the work of investigators, prosecutors and asset recovery specialists across Latin America. At a dedicated workshop in Luxembourg, more than 30 practitioners came together to share how they are responding to the challenge – with practical solutions, strong regional leadership and a readiness to learn from one another. The workshop was co-organised by the Basel Institute on Governance and the UK National Crime Agency NCA . It was hosted by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs as a side event to the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets. Participants came from prosecution services, police forces, financial intelligence units, supervisory authorities and the judiciary. As members of the Latin America Crypto Community of Practice, they share a determination to confront the rapid growth of cryptoassets and their exploitation by organised crime. Regional leadership in action The workshop placed the region’s own expertise at its centre. Practitioners from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru presented cases involving cryptoassets and asset recovery. They shared the approaches they had tested, the obstacles they had encountered and the lessons they had learned. The discussions reflected the tremendous effort taking place across Latin America. Practitioners are tackling complex technical, legal and operational questions, often while the risks, technologies and criminal methods continue to evolve. Maria Cordeiro, Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery at the Basel Institute and coordinator of the Latin America Crypto Community of Practice, said: The commitment and creativity of practitioners across Latin America are remarkable. They are not waiting for perfect laws, unlimited resources or ready-made solutions. They are getting to grips with difficult cases, testing practical approaches and helping one another move forward. That passion and leadership are exactly what this community is designed to support. Working through shared challenges Participants worked together on practical challenges related to the seizure, confiscation, custody, management and sale of cryptoassets. The discussions were frank and focused on finding workable solutions. Held in Spanish and under the Chatham House rule, the workshop provided a trusted space in which practitioners could speak openly and learn from their peers. The group also explored ways to strengthen cooperation against organised crime, illicit trafficking and other threats involving cryptoassets. These crimes operate across borders, making strong professional relationships and rapid information exchange essential. The workshop was opened by Oscar Solórzano, Director for Latin America at the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery. Perla, a subject matter expert from the UK National Crime Agency NCA , co-moderated the session. Partnerships and looking forward We thank the NCA for co-organising the workshop under its Illicit Finance programme in Latin America and the Luxembourg Bureau de gestion des avoirs for hosting it so generously. We are also grateful to the NCA, the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs INL in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program ICITAP in Colombia for funding the participation of practitioners in the workshop and the Global Conference. We also thank current sponsors of our Latin America Crypto Community of Practice for their support for this practitioner-led exchange: Kodex, Asset Reality, Tradias, VerifyVASP, Inca Digital, Coinbase, TRM Labs and CAT Labs. The workshop showed the value of bringing committed practitioners together around real cases and shared challenges. Discussions are already underway about a dedicated Latin America Crypto & Asset Recovery Conference in 2027.

African expertise takes centre stage at crypto and asset recovery workshop

Around 40 public-sector practitioners gathered in Luxembourg on 17 September 2026 for the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Workshop. The event put African experience, innovation and talent at the heart of discussions on cryptoasset investigations and asset recovery. Held as a side event to the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets, the workshop brought together specialists from financial intelligence units, law enforcement agencies, prosecution authorities, regulators and asset recovery bodies. Participants represented more than 15 African countries. The Basel Institute on Governance co-organised the workshop with the SecFin Africa. It was hosted by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs. Learning from African experience The workshop was designed around peer learning. Practitioners from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa presented real cases to their regional peers. They spoke openly about the obstacles they had encountered and the practical approaches they had developed to overcome them. The workshop took place under the Chatham House rule. Participation was restricted to public-sector officials to provide a safe space for candid discussion, questions and learning. This practitioner-led approach is central to the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network. The Network recognises that valuable expertise and creative solutions already exist across the continent. Its role is to help practitioners share this knowledge, learn from one another and build trusted relationships across institutions and borders. As H.E. Ambassador Mary Chirwa, Ambassador of Zambia to the Benelux countries, said in her closing remarks at the main conference: I can speak for Africa: it may not have the same resources as other regions, but it has large, young and technologically astute populations – quick to embrace new technologies, question established approaches and find imaginative solutions. Practical tools and international cooperation The workshop also introduced practical tools that can support investigations and asset recovery. - Alexandru Donciu, Virtual Assets Specialist at the Basel Institute, demonstrated free and open-source tools for conducting on-chain investigations. - A representative of the French Gendarmerie and France’s Agency for the Management and Recovery of Seized and Confiscated Assets AGRASC presented ASAC. The application guides magistrates and investigators through procedures for tracing, seizing and confiscating criminal assets. - A Europol representative illuminated the work and approach of the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre and its collaborations with global law enforcement partners. The contributions from international partners highlighted the importance of connecting strong regional networks across continents. Cryptoassets move globally and effective investigations depend on cooperation that does the same. Connections that last beyond Luxembourg Many of the participants also attended the main Global Conference on 15–16 September. This gave the large African delegation opportunities to exchange experience with hundreds of peers from law enforcement, policymaking, research and the private sector. These face-to-face connections matter. They build the trust that makes it easier to pick up the phone when an urgent cross-border case arises. Our sincere thanks go to SecFin Africa and to the workshop’s co-moderators, Philippe Pacaud, Operational Coordinator at SecFin Africa, and Simon Marsh, Head of Africa at the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery. SecFin Africa is funded by the European Union, France and Germany. We also gratefully acknowledge the organisations supporting the Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network: Kodex, Asset Reality, Tradias, VerifyVASP, Coinbase, TRM Labs, CAT Labs and iSanctuary. Their support helps make this public-sector community and its activities possible while preserving a trusted and product-free space for practitioner exchange. The enthusiasm in Luxembourg also raised an exciting possibility: a dedicated Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Conference in 2027. Watch this space.

New tools and partnerships strengthen the response to criminal use of cryptoassets

Criminal use of cryptoassets is spreading across the threat landscape as these technologies become more accessible and integrated into global financial systems. But this pressure is also accelerating innovation and collaboration among those fighting back – across law enforcement, industry, research and policy. The strength of that combined response was on show at the 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets on 15–16 September 2026. Co-organised by Europol, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC and the Basel Institute on Governance and hosted this year by Luxembourg’s Bureau de gestion des avoirs BGA , the conference brought 450 specialists from nearly 90 jurisdictions to the European Convention Center Luxembourg. More than 2,000 people registered online. Iker Lekuona, Director of the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery and co-chair of the conference’s first day, said: We are proud to help bring together such an impressive community of experienced and emerging experts from the public and private sectors, representing so many countries and backgrounds. The energy was palpable. It will help spread and scale the effective tools and approaches shared here, and drive progress on common standards and innovative models of law enforcement and public-private cooperation. Innovation on show Cases presented at the conference illustrated how cryptoassets now feature in cyber attacks, sanctions evasion, terrorist financing, sabotage and political interference. Other sessions exposed the human cost of scams, trafficking and “wrench attacks”, in which criminals use violence to force cryptoasset transfers. Yet the sessions also showcased new ways in which authorities and their partners are responding. The hybrid conference – with the second day reserved for public authorities – showcased: - Advanced tools and techniques for identifying, tracing and seizing illicit cryptoassets, and for dismantling the criminal and money laundering networks behind them. - Cross-border cooperation that is enabling authorities to identify, freeze and secure cryptoassets before they can be moved beyond reach. - New public-private partnerships for sharing operational intelligence on active cases, as well as strategic intelligence on emerging threats and indicators that can help others detect similar activity. - New legal powers, procedures and technologies for securing and managing seized cryptoassets and preserving their value through to final recovery and return to victims or the state. Several of these advances can benefit cases that do not involve cryptoassets. Network analysis, faster intelligence-sharing and closer coordination between investigators, prosecutors and asset recovery specialists can strengthen wider financial investigations and asset recovery efforts. Collaboration builds trust The conference also marked an important step in efforts to develop common baseline standards for blockchain intelligence. A technical breakout brought together representatives of blockchain analytics providers, law enforcement agencies and research organisations. Participants explored how common terminology, data formats and analytical approaches could make blockchain intelligence more consistent and interoperable. This matters because investigators, prosecutors, financial institutions, crypto exchanges, regulators and supervisors increasingly rely on the information these tools produce. Clearer standards can support more consistent customer due diligence and more reliable investigative leads. They can also help ensure that evidence can be explained, challenged and tested in court. A separate breakout led by the Wolfsberg Group examined common problems in suspicious transaction reporting involving cryptoassets. Financial institutions, cryptoasset service providers and public authorities discussed how to make reports more consistent, efficient and useful to investigators. The sessions demonstrated that collaboration goes beyond individual cases. It also means building shared standards and systems that can strengthen broader efforts against crimes involving crypto. On the subject of trust and collaboration, H.E. Ambassador Mary Chirwa of Zambia, added in her closing remarks: Virtual participation greatly expands access, but meeting in person remains essential to building trust. When an urgent cross-border case arises, it helps enormously if the person receiving the call is someone you have already met. Progress, but no room for complacency Significant blind spots remain. Criminal methods continue to evolve fast, regulation and enforcement remain uneven, and many authorities still lack the skills, tools or legal powers they need. But the cases presented on the conference stage and the solutions explored in its breakout rooms showed that authorities and their partners are already adapting their tools and working methods. The priority now is to scale what works: expand trusted regional and international networks, agree common standards, invest in practical capacity building and make effective models of public-private cooperation easier to replicate. About the conference The 10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets took place on 15–16 September 2026 at the European Convention Center Luxembourg and online. Three side events on 17 September deepened the practical discussions: - A hybrid Cryptoasset Management Roundtable, co-organised by Luxembourg’s BGA and the Basel Institute, brought together specialist asset management and recovery professionals to share insights and co-develop guidance on the effective management and liquidation of cryptoassets. - A workshop for African public-sector authorities saw more than 40 practitioners from 18 African countries exchanging cases, typologies and practical approaches with their peers. The workshop was a collaboration of the Basel Institute-led Africa Crypto & Asset Recovery Network and the SecFin Africa project, co-financed by the European Union. - A parallel Latin America Crypto & Asset Recovery Workshop, co-organised by the Basel Institute and the UK National Crime Agency under its Illicit Finance project, provided a similar space for around 30 practitioners from 10 countries across Latin America. Learn more - Learn more about the conference at: baselgovernance.org/10crc. - View selected recordings from the conference on the 10 Global Conference YouTube playlist. Photos: Neumann Jérôme Photography.

Enhancing cooperation in asset recovery is vital for crime prevention

This article by Iker Lekuona explains the importance of asset recovery for crime prevention and highlights three vital aspects of international cooperation in corruption and asset recovery cases: informal cooperation mechanisms, trust and technical assistance. It is republished with permission from the 6th Newsletter of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network of Institutes PNI . We participate in this network of 18 institutes and entities and strongly support the PNI's mission to "assist the international community in strengthening cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice on the global, regional and sub-regional levels, within the framework of the United Nations Crime Programme." Find all newsletters and information about the PNI here. At first glance, the Kyoto Declaration’s fourth pillar may appear to combine two separate things. Why should “international cooperation” and “technical assistance” be connected? The Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery ICAR provides technical assistance to over 18 jurisdictions across Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia. We work hand in hand with our partner governments to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and criminal justice systems to investigate and prosecute financial crimes and recover illicit assets. International cooperation is a vital part of the asset recovery process and of the technical assistance that we provide. The transnational, high-level cases of corruption and money laundering that we support often involve multiple jurisdictions in which criminal proceeds are sourced, transferred, laundered, hidden and spent. We see constantly that when it comes to asset recovery as a means to prevent and address corruption and other serious transnational crimes, international cooperation and technical assistance go hand in hand. Asset recovery: key to preventing crime In the eyes of the public, asset recovery is often seen through the lens of enforcement. It is linked to prosecutions and sanctions and to the desire for justice to be done. But as Article 70 of the Kyoto Declaration emphasises, asset recovery is “an important element of crime prevention… particularly in cases involving corruption”. At the Basel Institute, we see prevention and enforcement as two sides of the same coin – complementary ways to change behaviours and social norms towards integrity. For asset recovery, three areas stand out. Deterrence: Confiscating criminal assets tackles the primary incentive to engage in financial crimes: the money, which is a gateway to power and influence. When public agencies and their foreign counterparts work efficiently to investigate, confiscate and recover illicit assets, this has a strong deterrent effect. Disruption: The financial investigations at the heart of the asset recovery process are key to understanding and disrupting organised criminal networks. Techniques such as social network analysis can build on these investigations, mapping the relationships between individuals and entities involved in criminal enterprises, from wildlife trafficking to grand corruption and money laundering schemes. Trust: When citizens see that illicit assets are confiscated from corrupt individuals and high-level criminals, this helps to build trust in state institutions and to foster a more stable social environment. This effect is enhanced when recovered assets are reinvested in public goods – for example as Kenya did to pay for hospital equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic or as Zambia has done to fund university education for underprivileged students. Our technical assistance to partner governments focuses on strengthening every link in the asset recovery process or “chain” – from detection of criminal assets right through to their recovery and return. Sometimes this can go further. In Peru, assets recovered in landmark cases from Switzerland and Luxembourg are being channelled into strengthening the criminal justice system, under an ongoing tripartite agreement that ICAR facilitated. Through this approach, we see tangible impacts on the strength and functioning of criminal justice systems as a whole in our partner countries. And that can only be positive for crime prevention. Evolutions in international cooperation for asset recovery Over the nearly two decades that ICAR has been active as a specialised centre of the Basel Institute on Governance, we have seen promising evolutions in international cooperation in the context of asset recovery: 1\. Informal cooperation mechanisms and networks In line with the Kyoto Declaration’s articles 63 and 64, we have seen a blossoming of positive initiatives to boost informal cooperation between competent authorities on transnational cases of corruption and asset recovery. Such informal cooperation is vital to obtaining intelligence and building connections between counterparts from across borders. The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities GlobE Network facilitated by UNODC is one such initiative. It eases the exchange of information between frontline anti-corruption law enforcement practitioners across the world. As an observer member, ICAR contributes its experience to the network’s growing efforts to accelerate efforts to identify, trace and confiscate the proceeds of crime. The International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre IACCC and the Global Forum for Asset Recovery Action Series are two other initiatives that have been game changers in terms of expediting intelligence sharing and cooperation on priority cases. The first is hosted by the UK government, while the second is an initiative of ICAR and the World Bank’s StAR Initiative together with the IACCC. These mechanisms are leading to tangible results in smoothening and complementing formal mutual legal assistance processes. 2\. Trust and relationships The softer aspects of international cooperation shouldn’t be underestimated. We see daily in our work how trust and good relationships between authorities engaged in mutual legal assistance are essential to smoothen the process and lead to a successful result. This aspect was vital to achieving Colombia’s first-ever international asset return using its non-conviction based forfeiture law in 2024, of nearly half a million dollars in proceeds of drug trafficking from Guernsey. The Colombian authorities recognised ICAR’s “contribution and experience \ which\ facilitated the rapprochement and communication between the Colombian Attorney General’s Office and His Majesty’s Procureur’s Office in Guernsey.” They noted that “\ t\ his has been an excellent example of how judicial authorities can work together to ensure the recovery of the proceeds derived from criminal activities.” Trust, sustained collaboration, communication and positive relationships are also at the heart of successful asset return agreements and frameworks. One example is Jersey’s return of around USD 3.7 million in corruptly obtained funds to Kenya, in a case that had previously been stalled for a decade. Proactive informal cooperation, which ICAR helped to facilitate, was key to building trust between the parties, breaking the deadlock, finding legal solutions to recover the funds and agreeing their safe return for the benefit of Kenyan citizens. This case was the first asset return under another innovative cooperation agreement based on a sustained relationship of trust: the Framework for the Return of Assets from Corruption and Crime in Kenya FRACCK . Agreed and signed by the Governments of Kenya, Jersey, Switzerland and the UK, this was praised by UNODC’s Officer-in-Charge of the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch as being an “innovative” and “novel” approach to asset return. 3\. Building capacity among international counterparts Article 66 of the Kyoto Declaration makes it clear why it is not enough just to focus on formal and informal cooperation mechanisms, and why technical assistance is vital to the functioning of the system as a whole. States, it says, should: promote, facilitate and support the widest measures of technical assistance, including material support and training, with a view to enabling law enforcement authorities and criminal justice institutions to effectively prevent and combat crimes, taking into account the specific challenges faced by and the particular needs of developing countries. International cooperation is a two-way street. Financial centres seeking to detect and confiscate illicit assets will need information and evidence from the countries in which the crimes took place. And a lot of time can be wasted if mutual legal assistance requests are poorly drafted or not in line with the receiving state’s requirements. Yet many jurisdictions that suffer the worst effects of corruption and crime have low capacity and resources for asset recovery and for international cooperation in general. That is why it is so vital for international donors to support technical assistance programmes aimed at supporting the international cooperation process and building the capacity of counterparts in lower-resource jurisdictions. This could take the form of financial support, such as the kind provided by ICAR’s core donor group: the governments of Jersey, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. This financial support for our hands-on mentoring and training in low-capacity jurisdictions has been vital in enabling us to remain agile and innovative, to pilot new methods before scaling them up, and to provide sustained assistance in partner countries beyond the usual short-term project lifecycle. To take just one example, our ongoing technical assistance programme in Peru has resulted in the development and implementation of a non-conviction based forfeiture law that has already led to the confiscation of millions in stolen assets domestically and internationally. Developing asset recovery communities and leaders is another area where states can provide resources and active participation as part of their efforts to promote technical assistance. Practitioner networks are vital for peer learning and to build those trust-based relationships that are so crucial to international cooperation. A standout example is the annual Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies, which we organise with Europol and which UNODC hosted this year in Vienna. Conclusion Our ICAR teams around the world see at first hand the importance of asset recovery for crime prevention, as the Kyoto Declaration emphasises. Recovering assets helps to deter corruption and criminality, disrupt criminal networks and build citizens' trust. To boost asset recovery, we need to strengthen every link in the asset recovery process or "chain", from early detection of illicit assets to their eventual recovery and return. And for that, technical assistance is vital. This article highlights three key areas of technical assistance that align with the Kyoto Declaration's spirit, ICAR's strategic approach and UN-led actions: informal information-sharing mechanisms and networks; efforts to build trust and relationships to smoothen international cooperation; and capacity building between countries. Learn more Read Working Paper 51: Good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE participating States, by Andrew Dornbierer.

Case Study 13: The Beauty Queen case: non-conviction based forfeiture across borders

Policy Brief 16: Enforcing foreign non-conviction based forfeiture orders

Case Study 11: International cooperation in the Migori County corruption case

Recommendations of the International Cooperation for Anti-Corruption Cohort of the Summit for Democracy

Case Study 10: Using full legal means to confiscate illicit assets in a time of war