Iraq Central Bank Trains 250+ Financial-Sector Staff on FATF AML/CFT Risk Measures

The Central Bank of Iraq said on 23 August 2026 that more than 250 staff from banking and non-bank financial institutions participated in a specialised workshop on the outcomes of Iraq’s national and mutual evaluations of money-laundering and terrorist-financing risks.

The workshop was organised by the National and Mutual Evaluation Team for money-laundering and terrorist-financing risks at the Central Bank of Iraq. According to the central bank, the programme was based on the recommended action plan arising from Financial Action Task Force (FATF) work and was designed to strengthen practical implementation of preventive measures across the financial sector.

Training focused on risk assessment, reporting and EDD

The programme covered the results of Iraq’s national risk assessment, the related action plan and recommended measures, and practical approaches to identifying, assessing and managing money-laundering, terrorist-financing and proliferation-financing risks.

Participants also discussed ways to improve the number and quality of AML-related reports, the application of enhanced due diligence to politically exposed persons, and the management of terrorist-financing risks and associated risk indicators. The training addressed predicate offences considered particularly significant to the Iraqi economy.

The central bank said the programme used practical cases and applied questions to help participants translate the framework into day-to-day risk analysis and proportionate controls.

Part of broader implementation efforts

The Central Bank of Iraq linked the initiative to efforts to strengthen institutional capacity under Iraq’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Law No. 39 of 2015 and to align domestic implementation with international standards and FATF recommendations.

The workshop is an implementation and capacity-building measure rather than a new FATF rule. Its significance lies in the operational focus on risk-based controls, PEP-related EDD, reporting quality and TF/PF risk management across both bank and non-bank financial institutions.