The Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Tuesday said while it is not seeking “exceptional treatment” for the diplomatic missions, it is nonetheless calling on Belgium and the European Union ”to find practical solutions to enable diplomatic missions to continue to access adequate financial services and perform their functions”.
In a statement, the 79-member OACPS grouping said that some diplomatic missions and members of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) accredited to Belgium and or the EU, which it did not name “have, since 2021, been confronted with the closure of their bank accounts” by Belgium baking authorities.
“The closure of these accounts causes enormous difficulties that affect the proper functioning of the diplomatic missions concerned and disrupts the fulfillment of their mandate as stipulated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” the OACPS said.
It said that approaches made to the Belgian political and monetary authorities and to the EU “have so far failed to resolve the issue.
“The Belgian authorities have indicated that the relationship between banks and their customers is a private matter and that they cannot intervene in the matter. However, discussions have been initiated with the Belgian Federation of the Financial Sector (Febelfin) and are ongoing with a view to finding solutions.”
The OACPS said that the information available to date, indicates that the closure of the bank accounts results from the application of European Union law on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
It said credit and financial institutions are regulated entities and are subject to strict rules that require them to take enhanced customer due diligence measures through
“The EU, through its policy on AMC/CFT is a stakeholder in this problem and the OACPS calls on it to become more involved in finding a solution,” the statement said, noting that the members of the OACPS are committed at the highest political level to combat illicit financing flows, including addressing the important issues of AML/CFT.
“It is noteworthy that the Kingdom of Belgium, as host country, has a responsibility under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to ensure the smooth functioning of Diplomatic Missions accredited to the Kingdom.
“The OACPS also urges the European Council and the European Parliament to address this issue in the context of the 2021 Spring Package on AML/CFT, currently under examination, in order to find a mutually satisfactory solution.”
The OACPS said that the approaches made to the EU and the Belgian authorities are not intended to seek an exceptional treatment for the diplomatic missions affected by the application of the law.
“They seek, rather, to find practical solutions to enable diplomatic missions to continue to access adequate financial services and perform their functions. Furthermore, the diplomatic missions are concerned about the reputational damage arising from their inability to conduct the necessary financial transactions in a timely and transparent manner,” the statement added.
The OACPS Council of Ministers at its just-concluded 114th Session said it has “entrusted the Committee of Ambassadors to prioritize the finding of a mutually agreeable solution for the banks and the diplomatic affected.”.
