Background
The workshop brought together senior officials to strengthen national preparations for an upcoming mutual evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and its regional counterpart, the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). Mutual evaluations by the FATF and regional bodies assess a jurisdiction’s implementation of anti–money laundering and counter–financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures through Immediate Outcomes (IOs) that measure practical effectiveness.
Preparing for a mutual evaluation commonly requires interagency training on AML/CFT technical standards, evidence collection methods, and the assembly of supporting national reports and documentation. Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration participates in national AML/CFT coordination by contributing border management and migration-related controls that intersect with financial intelligence and law enforcement responsibilities.
Key Developments
On 6 October 2026 the General Department of Immigration (GDI) opened a three-day national workshop running through 8 October 2026. The event was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Keat Rith and attended by GDI Director General Sok Veasna, State Secretary Chhay Sinarit, and T. Raja Kumar, a former FATF working group head. The workshop focused on (1) FATF technical standards related to Immediate Outcomes and (2) procedures for the FATF/APG mutual evaluation process, including preparations for the global fifth-round mutual evaluations scheduled in 2028–2029.
Institutional Role
The workshop targeted leadership and operational officials from ministries and institutions responsible for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. Sessions emphasized the role of immigration authorities in supplying travel, identity, and border data that support financial investigations and interagency case work. The training also aimed to enhance coordination mechanisms among agencies that contribute evidence and reporting for AML/CFT assessments.
Compliance Implications
Organising national-level training on Immediate Outcomes and mutual evaluation procedures constitutes a preparatory compliance step ahead of an external assessment. Agencies that improve documentation practices and interagency coordination during preparations are positioned to provide clearer records and case evidence during the mutual evaluation process. The workshop did not announce regulatory changes or enforcement actions.
Official Source
Source: General Department of Immigration official social media communication and public links: https://www.facebook.com/GDIOfficial/; www.immigration.gov.kh.
