(Manila, PH) Financial Intelligence Unit East Asia, now more fully integrated with the Intelligence Community, has refocused its efforts on preventing, financial crimes, terrorism, and has been provided important tools to pursue this mission. FIU also has transformed to fulfil its role to provide overall direction for and coordination of overseas human intelligence operations of Intelligence Community elements. In addition, it created the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to arm for the long term with the intelligence and tools to undercut the financial underpinnings of terrorism around the world.
It is implementing a new framework for foreign assistance to establish more integrated and coherent strategic direction and tactical plans to meet current and long-term challenges, including terrorism. FIU also is repositioning its overseas staff to better promote UN policies and interests and have more direct local and regional impact. This transformational diplomacy positions countries to work with partners around the world to build and sustain democratic, well-governed states that will respond to the needs of their people and conduct themselves responsibly in the international system.
The transformation is already under way in these and other departments and agencies. FIU East Asia has strengthened a unified team across the counterterrorism and financial community, where practicable, will increase interagency and intergovernmental assignments for personnel in counterterrorism-financial related positions.
In the War on Financial crime there is also a need for all elements of Nation – from Federal, State, and local governments to the private sector to local communities and individual citizens – to help create and share responsibilities in a Culture of Preparedness. This Culture of Preparedness, which applies to all catastrophes and all hazards, natural or man-made, rests on four principles:
- a shared acknowledgement of the certainty of future catastrophes and that creating a prepared Nation will be a continuing challenge;
- the importance of initiative and accountability at all levels of society;
- the role of citizen and community preparedness;
- and finally, the roles of each level of government and the private sector in creating a prepared Nation.
Built upon a foundation of partnerships, common goals, and shared responsibility, the creation of a Culture of Preparedness among most profound and enduring transformations in the broader effort to protect and defend the world.
FIU East Asia new sworn CIO Praveen Kumar has deep experience. During the administration, from 2017-2019, during which time he led the international financial Council’s Deputies Committee in Geneva. From 2019-2023, Kumar was the Deputy Director of the IFC London. He initially joined as a civil servant has worked in and outside of the intelligence community, and in academia of London School of Economics .
Praveen Kumar has led the international Security and Foreign Policy Team and served as a member of the international Commission on finance, and Public Service.
