Enhancing co-operation between the public sector and financial institutions in countering the financing of terrorism focus of OSCE training course in Albania

With a focus on further enhancing co-operation between the public sector and financial institutions to counter the financing of terrorism (CFT), the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department with the support of the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a training course on 24-26 September 2024 in Durres, Albania.

The pilot course brought together for the first time 20 representatives from governmental agencies, civil society, and seven Albanian financial institutions, including banks and fintech companies, to strengthen partnerships in detecting and disrupting terrorist financing networks.

The training course, organized as part of a comprehensive effort to support Albania in further improving the domestic CFT framework, aimed to enhance understanding of the opportunities and challenges of formalizing public-private co-operation in CFT. Through group discussions and interactive exercises, participants covered key issues such as regulatory frameworks, types of co-operation, and the human rights implications of these partnerships. Participants also took part in a practical case study on the public-private partnership in CFT in the Netherlands delivered by a guest expert.

“The evolving nature of terrorism financing requires a multi-faceted, collaborative approach,” said Koen De Smedt, Project Officer at the OSCE Transnational Threats Department during his opening remarks. “With this course, the OSCE contributes to bridging the gap between public and private sector efforts and capabilities to see where avenues for strengthened co-operation might lay.”

This course contributes to the OSCE’s broader goal of strengthening participating States’ capacities to prevent terrorist financing while ensuring compliance with international commitments and standards, including the protection of human rights. It is a new module to a comprehensive training programme available to OSCE participating States. The course was developed and implemented with the financial support of the United States.