TIRANA, July 15 – OSCE experts said Tuesday at a workshop in Sarajevo that non-profit sector is essential to cohesive and democratic societies resilient to terrorism, yet it may be vulnerable to abuses for terrorist financing.
The three-day event brought together nearly 70 practitioners from both relevant public authorities and non-profit organizations in South Eastern Europe, including Albania.
“Terrorists fund their activities in different ways and we must be vigilant about the potential abuse of charities and other non-profit organizations,” said Ambassador Jonathan Moore, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “At the same time, governments should enable rather than curtail freedom of association, consistent with their OSCE commitments.”
The workshop participants will exchange experiences on how to effectively reconcile these imperatives. They will also discuss the technical aspects of the financial investigations and prosecution of suspected cases of abuse of non-profit organizations.
“Objective risk assessment and promoting transparency in the non-profit sector are central to a balanced approach” said Jason Ipe, director with the Global Center for Cooperative Security. “Through partnerships, governments and charities can foster good governance in the non-profit sector, which is the best bulwark against abuse. This will also enable carefully targeted regulatory interventions and enforcement measures to address suspicious situations.”
