Posted on February 17, 2021
The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) has announced a ground-breaking project whereby it has developed an Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) assessment with the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA), the Qatari capital markets regulator.
With 45,000 members globally, the CISI is the not-for-profit global professional body for those working in the wealth management, financial planning and capital market sectors. A strategic cooperation has been in place between the CISI and QFMA since 2007 when an educational and a QFMA licensing program was devised to enhance the qualification standards in the Qatar financial services market.
This AML/CFT project is an extension of that cooperation. Its launch will confirm Qatar as the first country in the Middle East to implement a country wide, digital, AML/CFT assessment, with a unique reporting function, as part of QFMA efforts to combat the causes of financial crime in the Qatar capital market.
The CISI and QFMA have developed an AML/CFT digital learning assessment, in English and Arabic, for professionals working within the Qatar capital market, the aim of which will be to enhance the AML/CFT awareness. The successful completion of the e-learning module will be well recognized in the QFMA’s licensing process.
The assessment will be available for public and concerned professionals. It will be read and accessed on any mainstream mobile, tablet or laptop, the aim being to disseminate knowledge and improve money-laundering and terrorism financing detection throughout the capital market in specific and the financial sector in general.
The QFMA will have full access to the results of an individual’s professional assessment to monitor the AML/CFT compliance across the country.
Simon Culhane, Chartered FCSI, CISI CEO said: “We are delighted and honoured to be working with the QFMA on this important project to ensure sound training and competence standards for those working in the financial services domain in the Qatari capital market. The aim of the program is to help increase the effectiveness of all staff to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism, enabling the financial sector in Qatar to be at the forefront of combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
“In addition, owing to Covid-19 restrictions, many staff are working from home. Employers globally have experienced how effective online systems can be for productivity, with particular benefits for the e-learning process.”
Nasser Ahmad Al Shaibi (left) QFMA CEO, said: “QFMA’s cooperation with the CISI, as the first Capital Market Regulator in the Middle East joining the Institute in this project, reflects QFMA’s keenness and commitment towards promoting the awareness and the specialized technical learning of those involved in the financial market, through providing a digital platform to disseminate knowledge about combatting money-laundering and financing of terrorism, and enhancing AML/CFT compliance oversight, in addition to supporting the national efforts aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the Qatar capital market AML/CFT.
“QFMA attaches great importance to the educational and awareness aspect of professionals in the capital market, and for concerned and interested ones in Qatar, especially regarding AML/CFT, considering its key role in ensuring the ongoing development of the financial sector and investor protection.”
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