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REGIONAL: Assets Recovery Frameworks, Standards and Tools: 17 – 21/05/21

August 12, 2021 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

What: Regional Webinar: Asset Recovery (AR) Frameworks, Standards and Tools

Where: Virtual (online)

When: 17 – 21 May 2021

Who: 53 asset recovery, financial investigation, prosecution, and financial analysis experts from 12 countries and ARIN-EA Secretariat

 

Context

The focus of law enforcement is often on investigating and prosecuting predicate offences. However, criminals are often ready to take the risk of serving prison sentences as long as their illicitly gained finance/asset is available to them and their families. It becomes important to focus on asset recovery and confiscation in addition to prosecuting predicate offences. Both punishing perpetrators and confiscating their proceeds gained are necessary measures in the fight against crime and criminality, among others.

In practice, AR is a lengthy and complex process that involves multi actors and a wide range of skills. Moreover, as FATF (2018:19) stated “the complexity of asset recovery processes and the lack of technical knowledge often observed in developing countries are major hindrances to successful asset recovery.” Most countries of the Greater Horn and Southern Africa region have less effective AR regime and the value of recovered assets compared to the prevalence of organised crime and corruption is minimal. Number of countries that carried out mutual evaluation under the new FATF methodology are rated as non-compliant or partially compliant on AR and confiscations.

In this regard, the Project organised this training in collaboration with ARIN-EA to improve the capacity of the participating institutions in AR. The training focused on the international AR frameworks and instruments, the process and mechanisms of AR, virtual assets and THB/SoM with due regard to the regional context.

 

Objectives

To strengthen the skills and knowledge of the trainees to trace, investigate, seize/freeze, recover/confiscate illegally obtained assets in general and the proceeds of THB and SoM in particular. At the end of the training, participants are expected to be able to:

  • discuss International AR frameworks, standards and tools;
  • better understand the process of asset recovery and apply relevant techniques of AR required in each process;
  • identify the mechanisms of confiscation in different legal systems and approaches;
  • better understand THB and SoM, the modus operandi of the criminal networks and their financial flows nationally and regionally; and
  • appreciate virtual assets and recovery methods.

 

Feedback/Review

In a pre-training survey, about half of the trainees did not attend a training on AR and/or THB/SoM and rated their technical and practical knowledge as a beginner, while the remaining 50% rated themselves to have an intermediate level. A post training survey showed that 97.1% of respondents believed that the training was relevant to their professional improvement and that the training added value to their knowledge and skills.

 A testimony of trainees revealed that the training was productive, important, enriching and could be even better if supported with more practical exercises. Trainees also suggested to organise next trainings face-to-face as much as Covid-19 safety protocols could allow.

Details

Date:
August 12, 2021
Time:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Event Category: