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Members of FATF:

As of 2018 there are 36 Member countries of FAFT and policies drafted by FAFT are highly regarded and treated as law. Starting with its own members, the FATF monitors countries' progress in implementing the FATF Recommendations; reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures; and, promotes the adoption and implementation of the FATF Recommendations globally. Countries are subjected to evaluation by FAFT to see that they are upholding laws and regulations enforced by FAFT.

Associate Members of FATF:

These members all carry out the similar agenda of setting up systems to fight terrorism and money corruption. Firstly, member countries complete annual self-assessment style questionnaire and secondly, the FATF regularly conducts on-site Mutual Evaluation Report examinations on individual jurisdictions, assessing the effectiveness of their national policies in dealing with money laundering and terrorist financing.

• Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)
• Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF))
• Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL)
• Eurasian Group (EAG)
• Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG)
• Financial Action Task Force of Latin America (GAFILAT)  Inter Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA)
• Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF)
• Task Force on Money Laundering in Central Africa (GABAC)

Observers of FATF:

As of recently Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have joined the group of observers that take part in upholding law against money laundering, terrorism and illegal funding. The following international organisations have observer status with the FATF. The international organisations listed are those which have, among other functions, a specific anti-money laundering mission or function.

• African Development Bank
• Anti-Money Laundering Liaison Committee of the Franc Zone (CLAB) [French]
• Asian Development Bank
• Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)
• Camden Asset Recovery Inter-agency Network (CARIN)
• Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) See Additional information

Effects of the Financial Action Task Force

The Financial Action Task Force began to become a big figure shortly after the detrimental 9/11 attacks to help combat the financing of terrorist organizations. This Task Force make sure funds aren’t easily accessible to terror organizations that are causing these heinous crimes against humanity. FATF has helped to fight against corruption by ‘grey-listing’ countries that do not meet Recommended Criteria and this helps to cripple economies and states that are aiding with terrorist and corrupted organizations. “Our aim is to protect the integrity of the financial system and the broader economy. To make sure there are no safe havens for terrorist financing. In the last 6 months, the FATF has reviewed the implementation of counter-terrorist financing measures in 196 jurisdictions. Almost all have criminalized terrorist financing and can apply targeted financial sanctions. In the last two months alone, half of those where we found serious problems have tabled urgent laws to address them. FATF continues to work with other monetary agencies to control terrorist finance activity and to bring an end to illegal financial organizations, terrorism and corruption.

Among the good the Task Force does there are a few negative effects of the group. FATF has made it difficult for NGO’s in countries to access funds to aid in relief situations due to strict FATF criteria. The FATF criteria have mainly impacted NGO’S that are located in Middle Easter and terror-ridden countries. Some argue that the Recommendations set out by FATF does not specifically state out restrictions for NGO’s which often results in them going against FATF Recommendation. “Under some legislation, if any terrorist benefits from a service directly or indirectly, this can count as material support to a terrorist group. This could include food or emergency medical care. It has often been pointed out that this contradicts the humanitarian principles that state that aid should be given to all those in need. As a result of these laws, some banks expect aid organisations to know an unrealistic amount about their beneficiaries, to have a procedure in place to prevent this.”

FATF has worked towards addressing the negative effects on NGO’s to carry out their objectives more efficiently. The FATF Recommendations were introduced in 2012 and put into effect to help NGO’s carry out their jobs without working against FATF recommendations. These recommendations work vigilantly in developing countries especially those that are terror ridden with crime, war and civil unrest. The revision also were not a drastic change, but were to be accepted by countries as a clarification as to what is expected to be compliance with the forty recommendations. Furthermore, it also gives a clarification on what 'Terror Funding' actually is so that NGO's can freely help those that are need in the community and access fund without infringing on the law of the forty recommendations.

“The revision of the Recommendations aims at achieving a balance:

 On the one hand, the requirements have been specifically strengthened in areas which are higher risk or where implementation could be enhanced. They have been expanded to deal with new threats such as the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and to be clearer on transparency and tougher on corruption.

 On the other, they are also better targeted – The risk-based approach will allow financial institutions and other designated sectors to apply their resources more efficiently by focusing on higher risk areas while there is more flexibility for simplified measures to be applied in low risk areas.”

Article Evaluation: Colonialism

Everything in this article for the most part related but I feel like there are several things that can be changed on this article. While there are several definitions for Colonialism, the article should include what theory they align to so definitions do not appear as repetitive. The article reflects more on the Colonizer than both the colonizer and the colonized. It needs to show how Colonialism affected the colonized and the impacts the people and countries have had. It is not revealing the entire truth and facts about what colonization actually is. For example in the Impact section it should include how many indigenous people have been slaughtered and how the countries are still being affected by colonialism today because they are in a terrible state of underdevelopment. While there are lot of positives, these truths should be shed so the information is equal and not biased. I appreciate that for the most part the links in the article are active and citations are accurate and placed where needed.

This article relates back to class discussions about Colonialism and how there are different definitions and different forms of colonialism as discussed in class. I stated that the article just needs to be clarified and be less biased in the favor of the Colonizer and more in favor of both the Colonized and Colonizer.