The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) hosted a capacity building workshop on August 26, 2024, in Kuwait City, Kuwait to discuss best practices for protecting the non-profit organization (NPO) and crowdfunding sectors from abuse by terrorist organizations and individuals. The workshop consisted of a range of presentations from the United States Departments of Treasury and Justice, the State of Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (National Center for the Non-Profit Sector and General Authority for Awqaf), State of Qatar’s Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA), and the United Nations Office for Counterterrorism (UNOCT). The event opened with remarks from U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait, Karen Sasahara, TFTC co-chair, Major General Yousef Al Mohsin from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Ambassador Hamad Al-Mashaan from host country Kuwait. 

The following day the TFTC hosted a Fellowship Working Group focused on lessons learned from the capacity building workshop and included presentations from the United States TFTC Director on U.S. humanitarian exemptions, including the use of General Licenses (GLs). The U.S. government also presented case studies on U.S. mitigation measures and engagement with the NPO sector related to the designation of the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)’s investigation and designation process related to NPOs, specifically highlighting the U.S. designation of Green without Borders (GWB). 

These sessions focused on how TFTC member countries can strengthen their national efforts for preventing terrorist actors from using the non-profit sector and crowdfunding to raise, move, and store funds. The meetings also presented the opportunity to discuss various typologies deployed by terrorist actors and share information regarding mutual concerns related to the NPO sector. 

The TFTC continues to prioritize efforts to build member states’ capacities to ensure improvements can be made to reduce the abuse of, and strengthen compliance within, the NPO/crowdfunding sectors.