Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Ministry of Justice and Law, through the office of the Registrar General, has last week launched the outreach programmes to sensitize the non-profit organizations
(NPOs). Crown Attorney in the Registrar General’s Office Advocate Palime Moeketsi said the office has
“embarked upon [outreach programmes] in order to sensitize the non-profit
organizations registered with the office on the issues of terrorism financing with the view of protecting the sector from abuse by terrorists. ” The Registrar
General’s office is acting pursuant to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2462 made in 2019. “This Resolution noted that [the] terrorists may move and transfer funds through nonprofit
organizations with or without their knowledge and called upon all members to criminalize willful provision or collection, by any means directly or indirectly, of funds by their nationals with the intention or in the knowledge
that the funds are to be used in order to carry out acts of terrorism in order to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism,” reads the Registrar
General’s Office statement. According to this office, Lesotho is a member of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) along with 19 other African countries.
ESAAMLG is a regional body charged with the responsibility to combat money laundering as well as executing the Financial Task Force (FATF) Recommendations.
Advocate Moeketsi said the Registrar General’s Office has been tasked as a Sector Supervising Authority for NPOs in order to ensure compliance with Recommendation 8 of the
FATF Recommendations. He said the Recommendation 8 requires that the countries protect the NPOs from terrorist financing abuse by among others identifying those at risk of abuse by
terrorists; reviewing laws and regulations for adequate protection against terrorism financing; undertaking outreach and educational programmes to sensitize
donor community and NPOs; monitoring and supervising the sector; raising awareness and promoting transparency, accountability, integrity and public confidence in the administration and management of NPOs and working closely
with the sector to develop and enhance best practices to address terrorist financing risk and vulnerabilities. The NPOs range from civil society organisations (CSOs), churches, political parties and
schools. The Registrar General’s office says terrorism is the “unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims”.
According to the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Act, 2018, acts of terrorism are defined as “an offence to threaten, attempt, aid, abet, fund and solicit
support in the commission of terrorist acts and the actual commission of the act itself including hostage-taking and hoaxes”. The Registrar General’s Office said the outreach is an ongoing exercise.
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