Pretoria – 29th August, 2015 – ZAMBIA has assented to the Anti-Terrorism Amendment Act which seeks to establish the National Counter Terrorism Centre in the country.
Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Davies Mwila has said that the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, No. 2 of 2015 which aims to facilitate for the establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Centre was assented to on 14th August, 2015. He has said that Government was now working to establish the institution
“The next step is now to establish the Centre. I wish to state that we have the money for this in the 2015 budget and will have a budget line in the 2016 budget so that we can implement this process fully,” Mr. Mwila said.
Mr. Mwila made the disclosure yesterday at the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Council of Ministers Meeting in Boksburg, South Africa when he gave Zambia’s status update following observations made by the Council of Ministers in March 2015 that Zambia had not made adequate progress since the last meeting in addressing the key deficiencies identified.
Mr. Mwila was accompanied by Finance Deputy Minister, Mr. Christopher Mvunga and Attorney General, Mr. Likando Kalaluka.
The Minister also disclosed that Government expected to have amendments to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act of 2010 assented to by December this year. The law is meant to adequately provide for the legal autonomy and operational independence of the Financial Intelligence Centre.
Mr. Mwila further disclosed that with regard to the United Nations Convention on Terrorism Financing, Zambia has ratified four out of nine Conventions related to Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) matters. The outstanding five Conventions will be ratified before March 2016.
He said development of programmes to facilitate AML/CFT supervision and monitoring compliance was addressed through the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Bill and that the Bill would be enacted into law before March 2016.
The Minister said Government also expected to issue regulations to implement United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1267 and 1373, and the respective successor resolutions by March, 2016.
UNSCR 1267 (1999) and its successor resolutions require countries to immediately freeze funds, financial assets or economic resources of individuals and entities who are designated by the United Nations Security Council based on such person’s/entity’s connections with terrorism and terrorist financing. Further, countries should ensure that no funds, financial assets or economic resources are made available to or for the benefit of such designated persons or entities or their beneficiaries.
UNSCR 1373 (2001) and its successor resolutions refer to designating individuals and entities related to terrorism and terrorist financing at national level. Accordingly, institutions are obliged to have measures in place to identify and freeze funds, financial assets or economic resources of such designated persons and entities upon order by the competent authority.
Issued by:
Nicky Shabolyo
PRESS SECRETARY
HIGH COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA
Mobile: 00 27 810027548 Email:press@zambiapretoria.net; nshabolyo@gmail.com