The Basel Institute on Governance, through its International Centre for Collective Action (ICCA), has been commissioned by the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct for the Aerospace and Defence Industry (IFBEC) to conduct a comprehensive study on global offset practices, in conjunction with a working group of offset experts and practitioners within IFBEC’s membership. Offsets refer to arrangements whereby government purchasers of aerospace and defence industry goods and services request a form of industrial compensation when purchasing from non-domestic sources.

The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) and Transparency International jointly and with the support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs organised a workshop for Civil Society Organisations (CSO) on the topic of Asset Recovery in the MENA region. The workshop was attended by some 30 representatives from 13 CSOs from the MENA region and concerned financial centres.

From 27 to 31 October 2014, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of South Africa (ARINSA), the Financial Intelligence Unit of Lesotho and the International Center of Asset Recovery (ICAR) conducted a joint Workshop for Prosecutors and Investigators on Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering in Tayetayeneng, Lesotho.

The workshop programme was designed to raise awareness of proceeds of crime and money laundering, incorporating practical training sessions on a number of relevant topics.

Federico Paesano, Senior Financial Investigations Specialist at the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) participated in the 5th Annual General Meeting of the Global Focal Points Network in Vienna during 9-10 October 2014. The event was organised by the World Bank and UNODC’s Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative (StAR) and Interpol.

He was invited to participate, together with three other experts, on a panel covering the topic “Recovering of Assets in the Cyber Era.”

From 8 –12 September 2014, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of South Africa (ARINSA), the United Nations Office on Drugs (UNODC) and the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) conducted a joint workshop for prosecutors and investigators on Recovering the Proceeds from Wildlife and Forest Crimes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The workshop programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of prosecutors and investigators in recovering proceeds from wildlife and forest crimes. Some 60 participants from a number of government agencies of Tanzania attended the workshop.

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (GPO) mandated the Basel Institute on Governance’s International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) to assist with tracing and recovering assets stolen by former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and his inner circle. The agreement was signed on Monday, 11 August 2014, in Kyiv by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Mr Vitaliy Yarema, and Basel Institute Managing Director Ms Gretta Fenner.

The Basel Institute has created a new information platform focusing on the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in recovering stolen assets.

Initially developed in the context of the Arab Forum on Asset Recovery, the interactive guide is applicable to all CSOs interested in playing a more active role in asset recovery, through advocacy, awareness raising, investigations and in the return of assets.

See cso.assetrecovery.org.

From 30 June to 4 July 2014, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of South Africa (ARINSA), the United Nations Office on Drugs (UNODC) and the International Center of Asset Recovery (ICAR) conducted a joint Workshop for Prosecutors and Investigators on Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering in Lilongwe, Malawi.

The workshop programme was designed to raise awareness of proceeds of crime and money laundering. Some 24 participants from a number of government agencies of Malawi attended the training workshop.

In recognition of the Basel Institute on Governance having received the mandate from the B20 Task Force on Anti-Corruption and Transparency in June 2013 to host the B20 Collective Action Hub, working along with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), further reinforcing their collaboration in this endeavour.