As a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), the Financial Intelligence Office (GIF) coordinates the AML/CFT Working Group to participate in the Annual Meeting of APG as Macao, China delegation every year. For this year, the Annual Meeting was held from 9 to 14 July 2023 in Canada.

The main focus of this APG annual meeting was to discuss the mutual evaluation reports (MERs) of three member jurisdictions. Other agenda topics included the mutual evaluation (ME) schedule and preparation for the next round of APG MEs, newly revised ME procedures and follow-up processes, as well as the latest trends and typologies in money laundering and terrorist financing. This year’s annual meeting was attended by delegates of the AML/CFT Working Group, namely the Public Prosecutions Office, the Commission against Corruption of Macao, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Monetary Authority of Macao, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and the GIF.

The Macao SAR actively participates in the activities of international organizations. On behalf of the Macao SAR, the GIF has nominated a representative to serve as one of the co-chairs of the “Mutual Evaluation Committee” of the APG since 2013, who chaired the discussion of two MERs at this year’s meeting. At the same time, a representative of each of the GIF and the Monetary Authority of Macao participated as an assessor and a reviewer respectively in the ME of two jurisdictions. The GIF will continue to expand and strengthen its cooperation with international organizations and other jurisdictions through various means, such as coordinating relevant government agencies to appoint staff to participate in the events of international organizations, as well as signing of Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.