FOLLOW THE MONEY - TREASURY ADVISORS TRAIN ON FINANCIAL

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 002736 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN PTER PINR ET SUBJECT: FOLLOW THE MONEY - TREASURY ADVISORS TRAIN ON FINANCIAL CRIMES ¶1. SUMMARY: As part of overall capacity building and training efforts in Ethiopia, representatives of the US Treasury Department offered 50 anti-corruption, law enforcement, and tax authority officials a five day program August 27-31 in Addis Ababa highlighting best practices in investigating financial crimes including money laundering and corruption. END SUMMARY. ¶2. Cosponsored by the US Treasury Department's Office of Technical Assistance and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the five day workshop was developed and organized by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (FEACC). Over 50 participants from FEACC, the Ethiopian National Police, the Federal Inland Revenue Agency and the National Bank of Ethiopia took part. ¶3. The curriculum emphasized the importance of "following the money" in the fight against crime. Because most crimes are committed for monetary gain, identifying and confiscating criminal proceeds reduces the incentive to commit crime. Topics included intelligence analysis, case planning, report writing, and sources of information. ¶4. COMMENT: This workshop is part of a larger program of technical assistance and aid to Ethiopian authorities in their fight against financial crimes. The National Bank of Ethiopia has agreed to the terms of reference for a program to enhance their anti-money laundering/counterterrorism finance programs. The agreement will be signed when US Treasury representatives return in October. Post will continue to aggressively coordinate meetings to secure broad, senior GOE support of these important programs. END COMMENT. YAMAMOTO