Baku, Azerbaijan – Marking the 32nd Egmont Group Plenary, Working and Regional Group Meetings, the annual Egmont Group event convened from July 5 to 10, 2026. The event was attended by over four hundred delegates from Egmont Group member FIUs, international partners, observers and guests worldwide who participated and contributed to meetings and the Plenary in Baku hosted by the Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
“The Egmont Group Plenary is a critical moment for Financial Intelligence Units to come together, exchange perspectives, and reinforce our collective response to financial crime,” said Elżbieta Franków-Jaśkiewicz, Chair of the Egmont Group. “Our work remains grounded in cooperation, trust, and a shared commitment to protecting the integrity of the global financial system.”
The Egmont Group was honoured to have special guest speakers and international leaders attending the milestone event. We were privileged to hear opening remarks from His Excellency Mr. Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, whose presence underscored the importance of international cooperation in strengthening financial integrity and that financial integrity and economic growth are intrinsically linked. The Egmont Group was also honoured to be received by His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The meeting provided an opportunity for Egmont Group leadership to discuss the important role of Financial Intelligence Units in safeguarding the integrity of the global financial system and reinforcing international cooperation in the fight against money laundering, associated predicate crimes, and terrorist financing.
We were also pleased to welcome Mr. Giles Thomson, President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), who delivered a keynote address highlighting global priorities in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
The Egmont Group is also pleased to present that it now boasts 186 members following the acceptance of the FIUs from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Madagascar and Rwanda as members of the organization. The EG continues to strengthen its membership through outreach efforts in geographic regions of strategic focus, including Africa, Asia and Pacific, and the Middle East and Northern Africa. During the event, 33 Memorandums of Understanding were signed by member FIUs, strengthening the opportunities for financial intelligence sharing on ML/TF matters.
“It was a privilege for Azerbaijan to host colleagues from across the Egmont Group in Baku,” said Zaur Fatizada, Chairman of the Executive Board, Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan. “The discussions held throughout the week demonstrated the strength of international cooperation and our shared commitment to protecting the integrity of the global financial system. The Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan remains dedicated to working closely with our international partners to advance the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and related threats.”
The Heads of FIU (HoFIU) convened to advance a number of strategic initiatives aimed at reinforcing the role of Financial Intelligence Units within the global AML/CFT framework.
Heads of FIU considered the proposed roadmap to guide the development of the next Egmont Group Strategic Plan, setting out the process, timeline, and key milestones to ensure an inclusive and coordinated approach across the Egmont membership.
The following projects received final HoFIU endorsement:
- Streamlined Data Integration for FIU Questionnaires (SDIFQ) – Phase II
- Joint project with IMF on Updating the 2004 FIU Book
- New Terrorist Financing Risks and Landscape[1]
- The Role of FIUs in Fighting Environmental Crimes – Phase II (Operational Bulletins)
- The Role of FIUs in Preparation of Strategic Intelligence
- Effective Public-Private Partnerships – Practical Guidance for Design, Governance and Operationalisation in the Fast-Changing ML/FT Context – Report and Brochure
Heads of FIU also held a thematic discussion on advancing the future of public-private partnerships in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. Special guests included: Dr. Benjamin Vogel (Max Planck Institute in Germany), Ms. Hennie Verbeek-Kusters (Executive Board Member of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA)), Ms. Krishnan (FATF Secretariat), Mr. Milan Gigovic (Head of Financial Crime Threat Management, ANZ Bank), Mr. Nick Lewis (Standard Chartered Bank / Wolfsberg Group), Ms. Nathalie Goulet (French Senate), Ms. Xolisile Khanyile (Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime), Ms. Sarah Boyes (National Economic Crime Centre, United Kingdom).
Following the discussion, the Heads of FIU adopted a public statement reaffirming the importance of robust and effective public-private partnerships in addressing the evolving challenges posed by money laundering, associated predicate offences, and terrorist financing. The statement highlights the Egmont Group’s commitment to supporting more structured, intelligence-driven collaboration, enabled by appropriate technology, grounded in legal certainty, respectful of privacy and data protection principles, and supported by sustained resources.
Leadership Announcement
The organization re-elected Ms. Elzbieta Franków-Jaśkiewicz, FIU Poland, as Chair of the Egmont Group for another two-year term.
The organization selected Maj. Gen. Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Almuhanna, FIU Saudi Arabia, as the new EG Vice-Chair for a two-year term. He is joining Ms. Elzbieta Franków-Jaśkiewicz, Chair and Mr. Daniel Thelesklaf, Vice-Chair, FIU Germany, on our organization’s leadership team.
Throughout the week, additional important roles were selected for a two-year term ending after the 2028 EG Plenary, including:
- Ms. Arzu Khalilova, FIU Azerbaijan was selected as Vice-Chair of the Membership, Support, and Compliance Working Group.
- Mr. Dennis Kihm, FinCEN, was selected as Regional Representative for the Americas Regional Group.
- Ms. Jacinta Kirkpatrick, AUSTRAC, was selected as Asia and Pacific Regional Representative.
- Mr. Clement Kapalu, FIU Zambia, was selected as Regional Representative for East and Southern Africa.
- Mr. Pasquale Bianchi, FIU Italy, was selected as Regional Representative for Europe I Regional Group.
- Ms. Michaela Schütz, MROS Switzerland, was selected as Regional Representative for Europe II Regional Group.
- Mr. Max Braun, FIU Luxembourg, was selected as ESW Representative
The organization also selected Ms. Ghizlane Dadyou, FIU Monaco, as an Egmont Secure Web board member who will serve a two-year term, until the end of the Egmont Group Plenary 2028. She will join Dr. Muhammad Jiya, FIU Nigeria, and Mr. Turki Mohammed Aljandal, FIU Saudi Arabia on the ESW Board.
The Anti-Money Laundering Division (AMLD) (FIU Taiwan) was voted as this year’s Best Egmont Case Award (BECA) recipient with a case that earned recognition due to the volume, case complexity, innovative financial intelligence methods and the developed international cooperation network. Honourable mention goes to 2026 BECA runner-up, Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU India), for their successful case contribution.
During the 2026 Plenary, a Joint Operational Workshop on the Digital Transformation of Financial Intelligence, presented by FIU Azerbaijan, ECOFEL and the TATWG/IEWG focused on:
- the use of financial intelligence to address complex crime areas, including environmental and illicit trade;
- evolving concepts of digital identity and trust in emerging digital ecosystems;
- practical approaches to AML/CFT reporting, analysis, and risk management;
- the identification and investigation of crypto-enabled financial crime;
- the application of advanced technologies, including AI, to support financial intelligence analysis and investigations; and
- emerging risks and investigative challenges in virtual asset ecosystems.
Other highlights of the 32nd Egmont Plenary included:
- Many delegates participated in the Best Egmont Case Award (BECA) Workshop, as well as in operational training sessions including the Egmont Secure Web Workshop.
- Among other deliverables, during the TATWG session, an engaging video on the topic of FIUs’ role in the National Risk Assessment was presented.
The Egmont Group would like to express appreciation to its Observers and International Partners for their continuous support and cooperation, including the valuable presentations and updates from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), including updates from the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Interpol, shared during the meetings.
The Egmont Group thanks FIU Azerbaijan for extending a warm welcome as hosts of the 32nd Egmont Plenary in Baku. The Egmont Group appreciates the time and effort invested in planning the event and is pleased with the success achieved this year. Congratulations to the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Financial Monitoring Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Zaur Fatizada, and his dedicated team, including Chair of the MSCWG, Mr. Fuad Aliyev and the Vice-Chair of IEWG, Mr. Nurlan Babayev for organizing a successful event!
FIUs are indispensable in the fight against financial crimes. Their ability to collect, analyze, and share financial intelligence makes them a cornerstone of effective AML/CFT regimes worldwide. We thank our member FIUs for their commitment and dedication to ensuring a safer and more secure financial landscape, where illicit activities are detected, deterred, and disrupted, safeguarding the integrity of the global financial system for the benefit of all.
Baku, Azerbaijan
July 13, 2026
Background:
The Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units is a global organization formed by 186 member FIUs established to facilitate and prompt the exchange of information, knowledge, and cooperation among its members. The Egmont Group focuses on three core activities. Firstly, its secure Information exchange platform promotes operational cooperation among members. Secondly, the Egmont Group provides capacity-building opportunities through its structure of working groups along with its Capacity Building Program (ECOFEL). Thirdly, the Egmont Group enhances shared knowledge and expertise among members by regularly producing typology reports, red flags, and indicators.
Further Egmont Group information and a list of Egmont member FIUs can be found at egmontgroup.org.
[1] Some follow up actions should be taken regarding this report
