June 20, 2019
By Ben Iorio With the rise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, the norms for currency have changed. Cryptocurrencies allow transactions to take place with a currency not regulated by any country. In essence, cryptocurrencies are currencies existing completely...
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is pleased to announce the launch of a new program that seeks to assist developing country governments with increasing domestic resource capture by curtailing trade misinvoicing, and continuing work to educate policy makers about the corrosive impact illicit financial flows have on developing economies.
By Sophie Haggerty, June 15, 2015
On June 5, the Norwegian Parliament unanimously voted to establish a public registry of corporate ownership information, becoming the latest country to tackle the abuse of anonymous companies through increased transparency.
Anonymous companies are one of the top tools used by criminals, kleptocrats, tax evaders, and terrorists to launder dirty money with impunity. Requiring companies to publicly disclose in a central registry their ultimate, human, beneficial owner(s) is regarded as the gold standard in tackling the abuse of these phantom firms.
Norway’s strong endorsement of transparency comes as no big surprise: the Scandinavian country routinely ranks near the top of transparency and anti-corruption rankings, and Norway was the first country to get behind the push to curb illicit financial flows. Their support on this topic dates back to the formation of the Norwegian Government-led Task Force on the Development Impact of Illicit Financial Flows in 2007 and their financial backing of the Financial Transparency Coalition at its inception in early 2009–long before illicit flows topped the global agenda.
In establishing a public registry, Norway joins Denmark and the United Kingdom—the first country to commit to a public registry of beneficial ownership information back in October 2013. The UK followed through with its commitment this March by passing historic legislation needed to fulfill its pledge.
By Tom Cardamone, April 23, 2015
Global Financial Integrity is pleased to present GFI Engages, a quarterly newsletter created to highlight events at GFI and in the world of illicit financial flows. We look forward to keeping you updated on our research, advocacy, high level engagement, and media presence.
The release of this quarter’s newsletter was delayed in order to include the high level roundtable GFI held on April 17. The following items represent just a fraction of what GFI has been up to since December, so make sure to check our website for frequent updates.
Global Financial Integrity was pleased to host a high level roundtable on April 17 that focused on the relationship between illicit financial flows (IFFs), Financing for Development (FfD), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Respected members of the public, private, academic, civil society, and multilateral sectors from around the world provided their perspectives on how to tackle IFFs, improve domestic resource mobilization, and strengthen the development of financial management.
GFI President Raymond Baker participated in “Illicit Financial Flows on the Post-2015 Development Agenda,” a panel discussion organized by the World Bank ‘s Integrity Vice Presidency on October 11, 2014 during the 2014 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings. The forum addressed the issue of illicit financial flows in the context of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Joining Mr. Baker on the panel were (in alphabetical order) Hans Brattskar, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway; Mogens Jensen, Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation, Denmark; Marcel, Senior Director, World Bank Group; Leonard Mccarthy, Integrity Vice President, World Bank Group; Dr. Atiur Rahman, Governor, Central Bank of Bangladesh; and Nena Stoiljkovic, Global Practices Vice President, World Bank Group.
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity (GFI) President Raymond Baker is to be featured on a World Bank panel on Saturday, October 11, 2014 focusing on the issue of illicit financial flows in the context of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. Taking place as part of the 2014 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, the discussion will feature high level representatives from the Governments of Norway, Denmark, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and the World Bank in addition to Mr. Baker.
WASHINGTON, DC – Global Financial Integrity announced today that Arvinn Eikeland Gadgil has joined its Advisory Council. GFI, a research and advocacy organization based in Washington DC, will benefit from Mr. Gadgil’s experience working to promote economic development and curtail illicit financial flows at the highest level.
Mr. Gadgil is Director of Partnerships and Policy at the Norwegian Refugee Council in Oslo. Prior to his appointment in January 2014 he was Norway’s Deputy Minister for International Development from April 2012 to December 2013. Previously, he was Political Advisor to the Minister of Development. From 2006–2007 he worked in the South Asia and Afghanistan section in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Mr. Gadgil has also been posted to Afghanistan and worked for Development Fund Norway.
On September 11, 2001, I was in London. The television images of massive destruction and certain death were no less real for being an ocean away. My wife, departing that morning but turned back to London in mid flight, could not grasp what she was hearing until she, too, saw the falling towers of the World Trade Center and the hole blown into the Pentagon and learned of the flight that went down in Pennsylvania.