Draft law to fight terrorism and money laundering [Archives:2007/1029/Local News]
SANA'A, Feb. 25 ) Yemen and Saudi Arabia have future plans and programs to expand their cooperation on fighting drug smugglers, according to Brig. Khalid Al-Radhi, the general manager of Drugs Fighting Administration at the Interior Ministry.
Al-Radhi pointed out the earlier cooperation resulted in conducting extensive courses on how to fighting smugglers from which 50 Yemeni officials benefited. The courses were taught by experts from the Drugs Fighting Administration and King Faud University.
The Yemeni government also intends to endorse a new and united draft law to fight money laundering and terrorism financing as an alternative to the law on money laundering issued in 2003.
General Manager of Legal Affairs at the Yemeni Central Bank Mustafa Saif told Mayo News the unified draft law for fighting money laundering and terrorism financing will presented to the cabinet within the few coming days after finalizing its formulation in collaboration with United Nation Office on fighting Drugs and Crime.
The draft law comes in line with the law issued by the United Nation Office on Fighting Drugs and Crime and in a way that fits with the international standards.
Yemen sought U.N. cooperation in this respect during the visit paid by the office's executive director Antonio Maria Costa to Yemen a month ago.
Costa assured that his office is keen to help Yemen on aspects relating to fighting organized crime and money laundering.
The cabinet approved on Saturday forming a committee to evaluate the efforts relating money laundering and terrorism financing. Forming the committee, according to Saif, aims to prepare for the evaluation undertaken by Financial Work Group for Middle East and North Africa on Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.
The financial work group aims to identify the systems followed in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing in Yemen and provide the required legislations. It also aims to verify the international cooperation in this respect according to the international standards represented in the 40 recommendations of the United Nation Office on Fighting Drugs and Crime on Money Laundering and the nine special recommendations on terrorist financing.
He further indicated the joint evaluation for the international team together with the Yemeni side will start by sending a questionnaire relating to all systems implemented and applied in security and banking aspect.
The Money Laundering Committee submitted its report for the last six months to the cabinet during its session held on Saturday to discuss all accomplishments achieved by in this respect.
Saif also assured Yemen has achieved a lot in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing together with providing the required legislations. It also participated in many periodic meetings and organized many national symposiums and workshops to discuss these two issues and create an awareness of their risks.
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