Vietnamese delegation attends the APG 2025 Annual Meeting in Tokyo, Japan

In fulfilment of Vietnam’s responsibilities as a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), from 25 to 29 August 2025 a Vietnamese inter-agency delegation comprising representatives of the State Bank of Vietnam (Anti-Money Laundering Department), the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Finance, the Government Office and the Supreme People’s Court, led by Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Pham Tien Dung, attended the 27th APG Annual Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.

The Vietnamese delegation at the APG 2025 Annual Meeting in Tokyo, Japan

The 27th APG Annual Meeting was chaired by the two Co-Chairs, Mr Mitsutoshi (Toshi) Kajikawa of the Ministry of Finance of Japan and Commissioner Ian McCartney of the Australian Federal Police, and was attended by more than 300 delegates from member jurisdictions and observers, the President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and representatives of many international organisations such as the WB, the IMF, the ADB and the Egmont Group.

The Vietnamese delegation with the FATF President and the APG Co-Chairs

On 25–26 August 2025, technical sessions were chaired by the Mutual Evaluation Committee to review and discuss mutual evaluation reports and post-mutual evaluation follow-up reports (including that of Vietnam), and sessions chaired by the Operations Committee reviewed money laundering and terrorist financing typologies.

On the following days (27–29 August 2025), plenary sessions chaired by the two APG Co-Chairs discussed and voted on matters relating to APG membership and observer status, governance, operations, budget and APG mutual evaluations. The meeting adopted the mutual evaluation reports of a number of jurisdictions and discussed the success factors of the fifth round of global mutual evaluations; adopted the priorities of the APG Co-Chairs for 2024–2026; and adopted the mutual evaluation schedule for 2026–2028, updates on new APG technical assistance programmes and projects, the long-term resource plans for 2026–2028 and the financial results for 2024–2026. The meeting agreed on and congratulated Brunei (replacing Japan) on assuming, together with Australia, the rotating role of APG Co-Chair from September 2026 for a two-year term.

According to the plan following the 2025 Plenary, the APG will launch its fourth round of mutual evaluations applying the revised evaluation procedures and methodology. Three mutual evaluation reports, for Malaysia, Canada and Singapore, are expected to be adopted at the 2026 Plenary. With regard to Vietnam, the APG also plans to conduct the third mutual evaluation of its regime for anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and countering proliferation financing in 2027.

Together with the other APG members, the Vietnamese inter-agency delegation also attended the sessions of the Mutual Evaluation Committee, where it presented Vietnam’s progress in strengthening the independence and autonomy of its financial intelligence unit in compliance with FATF Recommendation 29.

The Vietnamese delegation also took part in the meeting’s sessions, voting on and adopting the meeting’s decisions, and held direct exchanges and discussions on matters concerning Vietnam, including the plenary session adopting the enhanced follow-up report on Vietnam after its mutual evaluation, the donors’ session and the Southeast Asia regional session, as well as the thematic workshop on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VA/VASPs).

In addition, in preparation for the APG mutual evaluation in 2027, the Vietnamese delegation held bilateral meetings on the margins of the meeting with the FIUs of Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines to learn from their experience in preparing for mutual evaluations.

Alongside the meeting, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on the exchange of information on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism were signed between the Anti-Money Laundering Department and three financial intelligence units, those of Nauru, Nepal and Timor-Leste, witnessed by Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Pham Tien Dung and representatives of agencies of several countries. The MOUs not only promote closer cooperation between the Anti-Money Laundering Department and financial intelligence units around the world but also mark an important milestone in affirming the operational independence and autonomy of the Anti-Money Laundering Department in its role as Vietnam’s financial intelligence unit.

Signing of the MOU between the Anti-Money Laundering Department and the FIU of Nepal at the APG 2025 Annual Meeting

Participation in the APG 2025 Annual Meeting demonstrates Vietnam’s strong commitment to complying with international standards on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, while creating opportunities to enhance its standing, expand international cooperation and learn from practical experience in preparing for the forthcoming mutual evaluation.

Vietnam has committed to implementing the Action Plan set by the FATF when Vietnam was placed on the FATF grey list. Accordingly, every four months Vietnam must report to the FATF/APG on its progress in implementing the 17 actions set by the FATF. Vietnamese ministries and sectors are currently making every effort to implement the Action Plan committed to with the FATF, contributing to a more effective regime in Vietnam for anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and countering proliferation financing.

The Action Plan set by the FATF includes many difficult and complex tasks. This requires Vietnamese ministries and sectors to implement solutions in a coordinated and comprehensive manner across many areas, such as: (i) further improving the legal framework on the criminal liability for money laundering offences, preventive measures for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, beneficial ownership, and the regulation of virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VA/VASPs); (ii) enhancing the understanding of risks and domestic and international coordination and cooperation in anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and countering proliferation financing; (iii) stepping up the risk-based investigation, prosecution and adjudication of money laundering and predicate offences; (iv) strengthening risk-based inspection and supervision; (v) enhancing the independence and autonomy of the financial intelligence unit and improving the quality of financial intelligence; and (vi) increasing the effectiveness of measures to prevent the evasion of targeted financial sanctions related to proliferation financing, etc.

Source: State Bank of Vietnam