The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) hosted a capacity-building workshop on International Cooperation in Manama, Bahrain on January 23, 2024. The workshop consisted of presentations from five of the seven TFTC Members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, Sheikha May bint Mohamed Al Khalifa, the Egmont Group Vice-Chair, and Saudi Arabia’s General Yousef Al Mohsen, Head of the Permanent Committee for Counterterrorism and its Financing in State Security Presidency kicked off the event with opening remarks.  

The United States shared presentations from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control and U.S. Embassy Bahrain’s Legal Attaché. Office of Foreign Asset Control provided a briefing on international cooperation and joint designations.

Bahrain and  Kuwait, each discussed the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in facilitating international coordination to counter terrorist financing. Their presentations gave an overview of how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegates counter-terrorist financing workstreams and coordinates with domestic agencies and foreign partners. Kuwait described its efforts to regulate and monitor charitable organizations, Saudi Arabia State Security Presidency  highlighted its model of existing multilateral partnerships in national coordination and international cooperation to disrupt and suppress terrorist financing, and Bahrain reflected on the role of its foreign service and its recent mutual evaluation.

The United Arab Emirates discussed legal dimensions of international coordination to counter terrorist financing. The UAE briefed on their mutual legal assistance treaties and mutual legal assistance request processes, and highlighted mechanisms that streamline interagency cooperation and communication. 

The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) hosted a capacity-building workshop on International Cooperation in Manama, Bahrain on January 23, 2024. The workshop consisted of presentations from five of the seven TFTC Members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, Sheikha May bint Mohamed Al Khalifa, the Egmont Group Vice-Chair, and Saudi Arabia’s General Yousef Al Mohsen, Head of the Permanent Committee for Counterterrorism and its Financing in State Security Presidency kicked off the event with opening remarks.  

The United States shared presentations from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control and U.S. Embassy Bahrain’s Legal Attaché. Office of Foreign Asset Control provided a briefing on international cooperation and joint designations.

Bahrain and  Kuwait, each discussed the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in facilitating international coordination to counter terrorist financing. Their presentations gave an overview of how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegates counter-terrorist financing workstreams and coordinates with domestic agencies and foreign partners. Kuwait described its efforts to regulate and monitor charitable organizations, Saudi Arabia State Security Presidency  highlighted its model of existing multilateral partnerships in national coordination and international cooperation to disrupt and suppress terrorist financing, and Bahrain reflected on the role of its foreign service and its recent mutual evaluation.

The United Arab Emirates discussed legal dimensions of international coordination to counter terrorist financing. The UAE briefed on their mutual legal assistance treaties and mutual legal assistance request processes, and highlighted mechanisms that streamline interagency cooperation and communication. 

The TFTC remains committed to promoting members’ understanding and implementation of the Financial Action Task Force’s Immediate Outcome 2: “International co-operation delivers appropriate information, financial intelligence, and evidence, and facilitates action against criminals and their assets.” this workshop was an opportunity for members to reflect on their experiences, identify opportunities, and facilitate cooperation efforts as they navigate unique and shared challenges.