ESAAMLG Hosts Regional Workshop on Enhancing Beneficial Ownership Transparency

The Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Secretariat successfully concluded a three-day regional capacity-building workshop focused on strengthening Beneficial Ownership (BO) transparency frameworks across member states. The hybrid event, held in collaboration with international partners, brought together over 80 delegates, including financial regulators, law enforcement agencies, and registry officials from the region.

The workshop aimed to assist member countries in effectively implementing the revised FATF Standards on beneficial ownership. Participants discussed practical solutions for establishing centralized, accurate, and up-to-date beneficial ownership registries to prevent legal entities from being misused for money laundering, illicit financial flows, and tax evasion.

Key sessions highlighted country specific challenges, the integration of data analytics in checking registry accuracy, and mechanisms for enhancing cross-border information sharing among Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs). ESAAMLG remains committed to supporting its 24 member countries in closing regulatory gaps and safeguarding the integrity of the regional financial system.