Methods & Trends

APG Typologies Workshops

In order to effectively combat money laundering and terrorist financing, governments, law makers, officials and the private sector need to understand and keep pace with the various and evolving methods used to launder money and to finance terrorism.

Yearly typologies workshops are held by the APG to bring together experts and APG delegates to discuss money laundering and terrorist financing trends as well as policy issues emerging from those trends. These workshops generally have topical 'themes' to provide a focus for the discussion and have five main purposes - to:

  • Bring together expert law enforcement and regulators experts in order to share knowledge and experience;
  • Identify the current ways by which proceeds of crime are laundered and terrorism is funded in the Asia/Pacific region;
  • Determine any emerging money laundering and terrrorist financing trends or patterns within and between jurisdictions in the Asia/Pacific region;
  • Consider and make recommendations about money laundering and terrorist financing counter-measures; and
  • Consider ways to improve international co-operation in the detection, investigation and seizure terrorist finances and proceeds of crime, and where appropriate, the repatriation of the proceeds of crime, especially when the proceeds are transmitted to other jurisdictions.

Twenty-three typologies workshops have been held since the APG's formation in 1997 in the following locations:

  • Wellington, New Zealand, October 1998;
  • Tokyo, Japan, March 1999;
  • Bangkok, Thailand, March 2000;
  • Singapore, October 2001;
  • Vancouver, Canada, October 2002;
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 2003;
  • Brunei Darussalam, October 2004;
  • Nadi, Fiji, October 2005;
  • Jakarta, Indonesia, November 2006;
  • Bangkok, Thailand, November 2007 (jointly with the FATF);
  • Colombo, Sri Lanka, October 2008;
  • Siem Reap, Cambodia, October 2009;
  • Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 2010;
  • Busan, Korea, December 2011 (jointly with the FATF);
  • Hanoi, Vietnam, November 2012;
  • Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, September 2013 (jointly with the EAG);
  • Bangkok, Thailand, November 2014 (jointly with the FATF);
  • Kathmandu, Nepal, November 2015;
  • Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, November 2016 (jointly with MENAFATF);
  • Busan, Korea 2017 (jointly with FATF TREIN); and
  • Novosibirsk, Russian Federation 2018 (jointly with EAG).
  • No workshop was held in 2019 or 2020;
  • Virtual workshop in February 2021;
  • Hosted virtually by Malaysia in November 2021.

Summary reports of typologies workshops are located under "APG documents" on the website and can also be found in APG annual reports.

APG Typologies Workshops