The 18th Annual Meeting of the INTOSAI Working Group on the Fight Against Corruption and Money Laundering Held Under the Chairmanship of the Accountability State Authority in Poland during the period July 1-4, 2025

Under the chairmanship of H.E. Counsellor/ Mohamed El-Faisal Youssef; President of the Accountability State Authority (ASA) of Egypt, Chair of the INTOSAI Working Group on the Fight Against Corruption and Money Laundering (WGFACML) and First Vice-President of INTOSAI, and, with the attendance of select representatives of WGFACML member SAIs , the 18^th WGFACML Annual Meeting was held in Poland.

His Excellency inaugurated the Meeting with a speech, affirming that the era of Cryptocurrencies has bought a new reality in the field of money laundering and terrorism financing, combining opportunities with challenges and proliferation with risks. H.E. also clarified the serious threats posed by Cryptocurrencies in these fields and emphasized the necessity to strengthen international regulatory cooperation to confront such phenomena.

The Meeting addressed the topic ” Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in the Era of Digital and Cryptocurrencies: Reality and Ways of Combating “, reviewed the WGFACML achievements and the progress made in its current Work Plan 2023-2025 as well as adopted the Working Group’s Work Plan 2026-2028. In addition, the winners of the WGFACML’s Scientific Competition were honored.

The Meeting witnessed valuable presentations delivered by WGFACML member SAIs, which significantly enriched the discussions and provided practical insights into the challenges and risks posed by Cryptocurrencies as well as audit approaches to address them. Member SAIs also played an important and active role in shaping the WGFACML’s Work Plan for the upcoming period (2026–2028), by offering a variety of proposals and experiences that would ensure the effective implementation of the WGFACML’s objectives.

At the Meeting’s wrap up, the participants agreed on several key recommendations, the most prominent of which are: Developing audit methodologies of digital currencies; Providing specialized training programs for auditors; Developing a Guideline on the Role of SAIs in Combating Financial Crimes Related to Virtual Assets; Enhancing cooperation with judicial and security entities; Establishing a communication mechanism for sharing information; Supporting the update of national and international legislations; Utilizing advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in audit; Issuing regular evaluation reports on the readiness of financial and governmental institutions; Maintaining the perpetual exchange of expertise among SAIs; Incorporating Cryptocurrencies risks into annual audit plans; Enhancing cooperation with relevant international organizations; Forming a Group of Experts to follow-up on the updates of digital currencies; and Regularly monitor the implementation of these recommendations.

The attendees agreed on the importance of turning these recommendations into actionable steps, emphasizing the need to strengthen ongoing cooperation between SAIs and maintain the continuous exchange of experiences. They underscored the practical role that the WGFACML should conduct in order to enhance audit in the field of fighting money laundering and terrorism financing, particularly in light of new challenges related to digital currencies. The attendees also highlighted the importance of continued communication and follow-up in order to implement the agreed-upon measures, ensuring the achievement of a tangible impact in protecting public funds and combating corruption.