PRESS RELEASE: Cyprus Compliance Association Highlights International and Local Expertise at Countering Terrorist Financing Forum
Nicosia, Cyprus – 2 October 2026
The Cyprus Compliance Association (CCA) marked the successful conclusion of the Countering Terrorist Financing Forum: Regulatory Expectations, Operational Effectiveness and Emerging Risks, held on 30 September 2026 at the Central Bank of Cyprus.
The Forum was jointly organised by the CCA, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Cyprus (MOKAS), and the Cyprus Police, and hosted by the Central Bank of Cyprus.
The Forum brought together senior representatives and experts from competent authorities, financial intelligence, law enforcement, supervisory and prosecution bodies, the banking and financial sectors, international organisations, professional bodies and the private sector in a shared discussion on strengthening the collective response to terrorist financing..
A defining feature of the Forum was both the breadth of institutions represented and the seniority of those participating. Bringing together, in one room, senior representatives from across the public and private sectors, law enforcement, financial intelligence, regulatory and supervisory authorities, the diplomatic community and international organisations represented an important and pioneering initiative for Cyprus, creating a high-level platform for direct dialogue, knowledge exchange and cooperation on countering terrorist financing.
The programme also brought Cyprus's national discussion into direct dialogue with international expertise and standards. Contributions included perspectives from the Chairperson of MONEYVAL, international financial intelligence and financial crime experts, and specialist UK law-enforcement practitioners working on terrorist financing, cryptocurrency investigations and border intelligence.
The programme reflected the increasingly international and interconnected nature of financial crime, combining Cypriot institutional and professional expertise with international perspectives from leading practitioners and organisations. The breadth and calibre of the keynote speakers and contributors gave participants the opportunity to engage with a wide range of expertise spanning regulatory policy, investigations, financial intelligence, sanctions, financial crime compliance and emerging risks. This combination of national and international expertise reinforced the importance of maintaining strong risk understanding, effective institutional cooperation and alignment with international AML/CFT standards as threats and methodologies continue to evolve.
Throughout the day, discussions addressed regulatory expectations, operational effectiveness, international evaluations, sanctions, terrorist financing typologies, crypto-related threats, cross-border investigations, information sharing and public-private partnerships.
A central objective of the Forum was to move beyond policy-level discussion and create a practical dialogue between the public and private sectors on how regulatory expectations and international standards translate into effective action in practice. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of connecting financial intelligence with law-enforcement and prosecutorial action, strengthening information flows across institutional boundaries, and developing effective public-private cooperation.
Initiatives of this nature contribute to the broader collective effort to strengthen Cyprus's capacity to understand and respond to terrorist financing risk and to support the effective implementation of international standards. Bringing authorities, law enforcement, supervisors, regulated entities and international experts together is particularly important in an area where no single institution holds the complete picture and effective outcomes depend on cooperation across the system.
Members of the CCA attended the Forum alongside representatives from across the wider compliance, financial crime prevention and professional community, reinforcing the importance of continued professional engagement and knowledge exchange in this area.
The Forum featured a distinguished line-up of local and international speakers and contributors, bringing together expertise from financial intelligence, law enforcement, regulation, financial services, professional services and the international financial crime and compliance community. The CCA extends its appreciation to the speakers for contributing their expertise, experience and perspectives to the programme. Their participation brought together local institutional knowledge and international experience, reflecting the breadth of expertise required to address the evolving challenges of countering terrorist financing. .
The CCA extends its sincere appreciation to its co-organisers, MOKAS and the Cyprus Police. The Supporting Organisations, namely, the Association of Cyprus Banks, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Cyprus Bar Association, the UK High Commission, the US Embassy and the Cyprus Chambre of Commerce and Industry. The Knowledge Partners, specifically the International Compliance Association, the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime, the London Stock Exchange Group and Moodys. All the contributors and participants whose collective contribution made the Forum possible.
Their support brought additional international and industry expertise to a Forum focused on one of the most complex areas of financial crime prevention.
The Forum operated under the Chatham House Rule, supporting open and constructive discussion and enabling participants to exchange practical perspectives throughout the day.
The strong response from the professional community resulted in a fully booked event, reflecting significant interest in the subject and in continued dialogue between Cyprus' public authorities, regulated sectors and professional community.
Theodoros Stavrou, Chair of the Cyprus Compliance Association, said:
“The Forum demonstrated the value of bringing together local and international expertise around a shared objective: strengthening our collective understanding and practical response to terrorist financing risks. We are particularly grateful to our co-organisers, Supporting Organisations, Knowledge Partners, speakers and contributors for the expertise and commitment they brought to the programme, and to our members and the wider professional community for their strong participation. What was particularly significant was having so many parts of the system represented in the same room, authorities, financial intelligence, law enforcement, regulators and supervisors, international experts, professional bodies and the private sector. Effective counter-terrorist financing depends on precisely this kind of cooperation and shared understanding.”
“Initiatives such as this also support Cyprus's continuing commitment to international AML/CFT standards by creating opportunities to move beyond technical requirements and focus on effectiveness in practice, how information is shared, how risks are understood and how the public and private sectors can work together to achieve better outcomes.”
He added:
“The breadth and calibre of the speakers and contributors, together with the engagement of participants from across the public and private sectors, made this an important platform for knowledge exchange and constructive dialogue. The CCA is proud to have contributed to an initiative that connects international developments and expertise with the realities and needs of Cyprus.”
The CCA remains committed to supporting professional development, knowledge exchange and constructive cooperation across Cyprus' compliance and financial crime prevention community, and to initiatives that strengthen engagement between the public and private sectors and support Cyprus's continuing alignment with international standards and good practice.
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