The National Center for Non-Profit Sector (NCNP) recently held a virtual workshop focused on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The session targeted non-profit organizations, including charitable societies and foundations, with the goal of raising awareness among board members, trustees, and executive leaders about key issues and recent developments related to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF). 

The workshop covered a wide range of topics, including an introduction to money laundering and terrorist financing, the associated risks and negative impacts, relevant local regulations, and the Kingdom’s legal framework for combating these crimes. It also addressed preventive measures, common ways non-profit organizations can be exploited in such activities, and both local and international efforts to fight AML/CTF. Additionally, the workshop highlighted the roles of national committees dedicated to these issues. 

The NCNP plans to hold a series of additional workshops on AML/CTF throughout the year, with the first having taken place in the first quarter of 2025. These workshops will be offered in both virtual and in-person formats, catering to all types of non-profit organizations. This initiative aligns with the NCNP’s mandate and supports its strategic goals of advancing the non-profit sector, promoting governance and compliance standards, and strengthening the financial integrity of organizations in line with national development objectives. 

The NCNP has issued a Guide for Preventing Unsafe Financial Transactions aimed at helping non-profit organizations mitigate financial and funding risks. The Guide seeks to raise awareness of AML/CTF threats and assist organizations in complying with applicable laws and regulations to ensure the integrity of their financial practices. 

In 2023, the NCNP represented Saudi Arabia as a co-author of the technical report titled “Abuse of Non-Profit Organizations for Terrorist Financing Activities,” developed in collaboration with several other countries under the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF). Since 2019, the Kingdom has been a full member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the first Arab nation to achieve full membership after holding observer status since 2015. Established in 1989 by the G7 ministers, FATF is an intergovernmental body that formulates and promotes policies to safeguard the global financial system from money laundering, terrorist financing, and related threats. Saudi Arabia’s active membership reflects its crucial role in combating these criminal activities across the region.