The Coordination Council on Combating the Legalization of Criminally Obtained Property, Financing of Terrorism, and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction convened its latest meeting. The Council was established by the Resolution No. 451 of the Cabinet of Ministers dated December 23, 2023.

Mr. Samir Sharifov, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Coordination Council, opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of analyzing the activities carried out in 2024 as part of the implementation of the National Action Plan for 2023–2025 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing. This plan was approved by the Presidential Decree of February 28, 2023. He also underscored the need to discuss and approve the 2025 Action Plan and to initiate preparations for the 2026–2028 National Action Plan.

Highlighting the significance of addressing the deficiencies identified in Azerbaijan’s Mutual Evaluation Report by the MONEYVAL Committee of the Council of Europe, Mr. Sharifov urged all relevant state institutions to enhance cooperation and intensify efforts to ensure a successful outcome in the upcoming progress assessment.

During the meeting, Mr Zaur Fatizada, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Financial Monitoring Service,  presented a report on the implementation of the 2024 Action Plan. Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Central Bank, and the State Tax Service also provided updates on their efforts. Discussions included the country’s preparedness for the MONEYVAL Committee’s upcoming progress report and other relevant matters.

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the newly developed “SHAMS” Suspicious Transactions Monitoring Information System by the Financial Monitoring Service.

As part of the meeting’s conclusions, the Coordination Council adopted a decision to conduct a national risk assessment for 2022–2024 in the field of anti-money laundering, combating terrorism financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This decision includes the establishment of five working groups and the approval of a roadmap for the implementation of the national risk assessment.