On 23-24 January 2025, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) held an introductory workshop and consultation sessions in Yerevan, Armenia, on 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 - conducted by both State and non-State actors - in the country, as well as 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 in Armenia.
Altogether, 32 experts from various agencies took part in the event. These included the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Economy, the Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank, the National Security Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office; the State Revenue Committee, the Investigative Committee, the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, the Office of the Security Council, the Central Depository, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Health, 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 Armenia, UNICRI, and DTRA, UNICRI experts gave an overview of the risks associated with proliferation financing and sanctions evasion in the country. This session highlighted emerging trends, high-risk sectors, and the deceptive strategies used to facilitate illicit financial activities.
A key focus of the first day was national legal and operational frameworks for countering proliferation financing. Armenian authorities provided insights into existing mechanisms and opportunities for enhancing the systems in place. This was followed by an interactive case study and scenario-based discussion, where participants examined real-world challenges in detecting and disrupting proliferation finance networks. UNICRI experts also guided attendees through an analysis of red flags that could indicate potential sanctions breaches and illicit financing activities.
On the second day of the workshop, participants were introduced to the complexities of proliferation financing risk assessments. The day also featured a dedicated session on the growing role of virtual assets in facilitating illicit Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) programmes. Representatives from various Armenian agencies then took part in targeted focus group meetings, where they discussed sector-specific risks and exchanged views on strengthening interagency coordination. These discussions allowed participants to outline national priorities and explore avenues for UNICRI’s future capacity-building support.
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.
