Innovative tools for fighting organized crime

Money-laundering and the financing of terrorism pose great risks to the security and stability of financial institutions worldwide. An intelligence analysis system developed by the Enterprise Application Centre in Vienna (EAC-VN), goAML, is among the critical tools Member States are using to combat these ever-growing threats.   

The UN Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Netherlands co-hosted the 4th International User Group Meeting (IUGM4) for goAML at United Nations Headquarters, 31 May – 1 June 2017.

While IUGM4 was a closed meeting, Member States were invited to attend an open briefing on "The United Nations Digital Agenda and combatting money-laundering and the financing of terrorism" on the first day. Atefeh Riazi, Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer, spoke about how the Digital Agenda could strengthen the Organization, facilitate its work, and help it meet its mandates, such as fighting organized crime.

Seventy-five participants from thirty-five countries attended the meeting, which focused on progress made in the design, implementation, and development of goAML. The impact of technology - its promises and its potentially harmful effects on society – was also discussed.

Ms. Riazi was joined by Hennie Verbeek-Kusters, Chair of the International User Group on goAML and Head of FIU-the Netherlands, and Macs Maboka, of FIU-South Africa. They spoke about the work of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) in combatting money-laundering and the financing of terrorism, as well as their experience with goAML.