Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

Country projects

AMLAT provides technical assistance and training to establish and strengthen anti-money laundering (AML) systems throughout the region. This ongoing assistance includes mentoring visits and assistance in establishing Financial Intelligence Units (FIU).

AMLAT is currently providing ongoing assistance to:

Kiribati

AMLAT visited Kiribati from 2 to 6 July 2007 to conduct a technical needs assessment of its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) systems. This has since been used to draft an AML implementation plan, which will form the basis for future assistance in implementing Kiribati’s Proceeds of Crime legislation. Agencies that were consulted when producing the needs assessment included: Police, Office of the Attorney-General, Customs, Immigration, Kiribati Insurance Corporation, Development Bank of Kiribati, Auditor-General, Foreign Investment Commission, ANZ Bank and Western Union.

AMLAT visited Kiribati again in December 2007 to provide training and awareness-raising for local stakeholders including a session for reporting entities on STR reporting and a session for law enforcement agencies on BCR reporting.

Work is now underway on the production of operating procedures for the Financial Intelligence Unit.

Matthew Dornan, AMLAT, presents on border currency reporting to law enforcement staff in Kiribati

Matthew Dornan, AMLAT, presents on border currency reporting to law enforcement staff in Kiribati.

Nauru

Since mid-2006 AMLAT has helped Nauru implement its Anti-Money Laundering legislation, which was passed in 2004. 

A key component of AMLAT assistance has been the establishment of a functioning Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), whose role it is to analyse suspicious transactions and, where appropriate, refer them on to Police for further investigation. AMLAT has provided the Nauru FIU with training, forms and procedures, as well as access to the WorldCheck database on high risk individuals and companies. It has also sought to raise awareness of the FIU and its role by conducting several awareness-raising seminars for senior officials, law enforcement personnel and reporting entities.

During a visit in July 2007, AMLAT advisers held discussions with Police and Customs and Immigration on a memorandum of understanding with the FIU, hosted awareness-raising seminars for senior officials and Customs and Immigration officers, and met with reporting entities to consult on Guidelines for their use.  Areas of possible future assistance were also identified.  These include: training for Police, Customs and Immigration officials, and prosecutors, as well as possible mentoring or training for an incoming FIU Supervisor.

This assistance will help Nauru establish sound anti-money laundering systems, as will the Government of Nauru’s move in 2007 to incorporate alternative remittance dealers under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2004.

AMLAT provided further assistance to Nauru in November and December 2007.  This included training for the new head of the FIU and holding a workshop for prosecutors on proceeds of crime action.

AMLAT advisers are returning to Nauru from 14 April to 18 April 2008 to provide further technical assistance and mentoring to Nauru’s FIU and assistance to the Principal Customs Officer in the implementation of border currency reporting.

Tuvalu

Two advisers from AMLAT travelled to Tuvalu in late October 2007 to assist with the establishment of the Transaction Tracking Unit – Tuvalu’s Financial Intelligence Unit.  Their work in Tuvalu included determining the roles and responsibilities of different agencies, developing a technical assistance and training plan, formalising the relationship between law enforcement agencies, raising awareness of Tuvalu’s Proceeds of Crime legislation, and working with the FIU supervisor, the Police Commissioner, to establish anti-money laundering systems.

AMLAT advisers returned to Tuvalu from 21 February to 1 March 2008 to provide further technical assistance and mentoring to Tuvalu’s TTU and to assist the Director of Customs in the implementation of border currency reporting.

Participants at an AMLAT workshop in Funafuti in November 2007

Participants at an AMLAT workshop in Funafuti in November 2007

Papua New Guinea

AMLAT is assisting the Government of PNG to implement the Proceeds of Crime Act 2005 by developing forms, procedures and guidelines for the proposed Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which is being established in the National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate (NFACD). AMLAT is providing training and support for the staff of the FIU, and is planning further assistance for prosecutors and the judiciary. AMLAT is also assisting the FIU to consult with and train banks and other reporting entities. The FIU is scheduled to commence operation in 2008. 

State prosecutors, AMLAT, National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate and ECP deployee meet at Port Moresby in May 2007 for the Proceeds of Crime Act Implementation Team meeting

State prosecutors, AMLAT, National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate and ECP deployee meet at Port Moresby in May 2007 for the Proceeds of Crime Act Implementation Team meeting

Solomon Islands

AMLAT has worked closely with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) to implement anti-money laundering systems, including comprehensive support to establish what is now a fully operational Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) within CBSI. Future assistance priorities include building the FIU’s capacity to supervise reporting entities, and supporting Customs authorities in preventing money laundering, including trade-based laundering. 

Cook Islands

AMLAT has provided technical advice to the Cook Islands Financial Intelligence Unit and law enforcement agencies on financial analysis, case planning and investigative mentoring. It is anticipated that this assistance will continue into the future.

Fiji

AMLAT is currently assisting the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority with the design and implementation of border currency reporting, as well as developing systems, processes and capabilities to detect and pursue trade-based money laundering.

AMLAT is conducting a joint scoping exercise to formulate a response to issues contained in the World Bank Report on Fiji.

Federated States of Micronesia

AMLAT staff member Jane Alver and ANZSOG Executive Fellow Razim Buksh, Director of the Fiji FIU whilst on placement with AMLAT, travelled to FSM for a week in October 2007 to deliver training and technical assistance for the development of an FSM financial intelligence unit.

Wilson Waguk the FSM Banking Commissioner and Razim Buksh Fiji FIU Director

Wilson Waguk the FSM Banking Commissioner and Razim Buksh Fiji FIU Director