Olivia Allison Discusses Conflict Financing on RUSI Podcast

Dr Olivia Allison has appeared on the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) podcast Suspicious Transaction Report, joining Kinga Redlowska and Justyna Gudzowska for Episode 2: Financing War in the Grey Zone.

The episode explores how armed groups generate, move and spend money to sustain conflict and support hostile state activity. The discussion examines the role of gold, natural resources and regional financial centres in war economies, as well as how small payments, criminal networks and social media monetisation can facilitate sabotage, recruitment and other activities.

The speakers also consider how the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), governments, financial intelligence units and banks could strengthen their responses to conflict financing. Recommendations include developing typologies that reflect the specific characteristics of conflict financing, recognising regional money laundering hubs and adopting more agile, network-based approaches to sanctions, screening and risk detection.

The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the financial networks and mechanisms that enable hostile activity in the grey zone, where criminal activity and geopolitical objectives can intersect.