Two groups of non-governmental organisations in Azerbaijan benefited from consecutive workshops on 25-26 February designed to strengthen their understanding of measures to address money laundering and terrorist financing risks in the non-profit sector. The workshops were organised by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the Financial Monitoring Service, fostering a coordinated approach. Representatives of both institutions actively participated in the sessions, engaging with non-profit organisations and contributing to the discussions.
The sessions explained how non-profit organisations can be misused for illicit financial activities and why it is important to remain aware of such risks. Participants received practical guidance on how such abuses can occur and what important steps can they take to prevent them. Through practical examples and case studies, they explored real-life situations involving the misuse of non-profit organisations for illicit financing. These examples helped to better understand the nature of risks, how they can appear in practice and what the best way to address them.
Drawing on international expertise, the workshops highlighted the need for strong internal control systems within the organisations. Participants learned how applying targeted, proportionate safeguards and a risk-based approach can help reduce vulnerabilities.
In addition to developing the capacities overall, the workshops also served as an important outreach effort. They reinforced the need to continuously raise awareness among non-profit organisations about the existent risks as well as procedures and policies that could be helpful to protect them from being exploited for money laundering and terrorist financing purposes.
This activity is part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project "Preventing and fighting economic crime in Azerbaijan.”
