Welcome to Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG)
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) is a Regional Body (FSRB) launched in 1999. Our primary mandate is to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by implementing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations among our member countries.
ESAAMLG consists of member countries across Eastern and Southern Africa, working alongside several international observer organizations and cooperating nations to ensure a unified regional compliance framework. (Note: You can link to your “About Us” or Member Countries page here).
A Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) is a comprehensive assessment of a member country’s legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks against the FATF 40 Recommendations. It evaluates both the technical compliance and the overall effectiveness of the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.
Member countries undergo evaluations in cycles scheduled by the ESAAMLG Task Force of Senior Officials. Following the initial evaluation, countries enter a follow-up process where they provide regular updates on their progress in addressing any identified deficiencies
ESAAMLG provides technical assistance, organizes capacity-building training workshops, facilitates typologies studies to identify emerging risks, and offers a platform for regional cooperation and information sharing among Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), law enforcement, and regulators.
All approved Mutual Evaluation Reports (MERs), Follow-Up Reports (FURs), and regional typologies studies are publicly available and can be downloaded directly from our official Publications section.