Background
The Trust Regulator participated in inter-agency preparations related to Cambodia’s anti‑money laundering and counter‑financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework and upcoming peer review cycle. The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) conducts mutual evaluations under its Fifth Round Procedures to assess member jurisdictions’ compliance with regional AML/CFT standards.
Cambodia’s National Coordination Committee on Anti‑Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism operates as the government’s inter‑agency mechanism for coordinating AML/CFT policy and preparation activities. The Trust Regulator serves as the national authority for governing, supervising and developing the trust sector and participates in sectoral AML/CFT planning alongside the Financial Intelligence Unit and relevant ministries.
Key Developments
On 10 June 2026 at 08:30 AM, a working‑group meeting was held at the National Bank of Cambodia (Sen Sok Building) to prepare the national strategy and Cambodia’s mutual evaluation timeline for 2028–2029. The meeting reviewed three agenda items: a summary of the National Strategy for Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism 2019–2023, the APG Fifth Round Mutual Evaluation Procedures, and the schedule for Cambodia’s upcoming mutual evaluation.
Attendees included Mrs. Chhean Sokhary, Director of the Department of Legal Affair and Inspection at the Trust Regulator, H.E. Heng Bomakara, Head of the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit (chair), and H.E. Hak Sok Heng, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and Vice Chairman of the National Coordination Committee, together with representatives from relevant ministries and institutions.
Institutional Role
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) leads inter‑agency coordination on operational intelligence and served as chair for the working‑group process. The Trust Regulator contributes sectoral oversight and compliance input specific to trust sector governance, while the National Coordination Committee provides the formal governance forum for cross‑agency alignment on AML/CFT priorities.
Implications for Compliance
Establishing a mutual evaluation timeline defines the schedule for Cambodia’s engagement with APG peer assessors and frames the sequencing of preparatory tasks across agencies. Reviewing the 2019–2023 national strategy alongside APG procedures clarifies documentation and policy areas that ministries and regulated entities will need to align with ahead of the Fifth Round assessment.
