On 27 and 28 January 2025, UNICRI delivered an introductory workshop and consultation sessions in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the topic of counter-proliferation financing and sanctions. The workshop was part of UNICRI's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Counter-Proliferation Finance and Sanctions Evasion Programme. It aimed to shed light on the threat posed by proliferation financing activities both in the country and in the region at large. It also sought to gather feedback from the participating agencies on their needs and priorities regarding future capacity-building activities to be held in the country.
Altogether, 15 experts from various agencies took part in the event, including representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of the Economy, Financial Monitoring Agency, Astana International Financial Centre, Agency of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market; Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Industry and Construction, State Revenue Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the programme’s sponsor, also played an active role in the event.
After opening remarks by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, UNICRI, and DTRA, UNICRI specialists provided an in-depth analysis of proliferation financing risks in Kazakhstan, as well as an overview of the broader regional context. This session examined regional trends, sectoral vulnerabilities, and the role of intermediaries in enabling financial crime, setting the stage for further discussions on policy and enforcement.
The first day of the workshop focused on national legal and operational frameworks for countering proliferation financing. Participants engaged in a scenario-based exercise designed to highlight the challenges in identifying and disrupting illicit financial flows linked to proliferation networks. UNICRI experts also led an interactive session on recognizing key indicators of sanctions evasion, equipping participants with foundational knowledge of common proliferation finance typologies.
On the second day, discussions focused on the complexities of conducting proliferation financing risk assessments, with a dedicated segment on the increasing use of virtual assets in illicit WMD networks. Participants then joined focused working groups, each addressing specific sectoral risks and strategies for enhancing cooperation among national agencies. These targeted discussions helped identify priority areas for future capacity-building efforts and potential avenues for UNICRI’s continued support in Kazakhstan.
The workshop concluded with a forward-looking dialogue on national priorities and international collaboration, reinforcing the need for a coordinated approach to countering proliferation finance. UNICRI remains committed to supporting Kazakhstan in its efforts to strengthen financial oversight and enforcement measures in line with global non-proliferation commitments.
About UNICRI’s Global CBRN Counter-Proliferation Finance and Sanctions Evasion Programme
Thanks to the generous support of the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency, UNICRI has launched the United Nations’ first global CBRN Counter-Proliferation Finance and Sanctions Evasion Programme. Through capacity-building activities, the programme aims to effectively disrupt the financing of illicit WMD programmes, thereby significantly reducing proliferation threats on a global scale.
