Authorities in Mozambique and Rwanda signed a memorandum of understanding to exchange information on combating money laundering and anti-money laundering.
The authorities of Mozambique and Rwanda will begin to exchange information on the fight against money laundering and money laundering, as agreed between the financial intelligence institutions of the two countries, a Mozambican government source told Lusa.
This is a memorandum of understanding signed on Friday in Kasane, Botswana, between the Financial Intelligence Center (FIC) of Rwanda and the Financial Information Office of Mozambique (GIFIM), on the sidelines of the meetings of the Eastern and Laundering Countermeasures Group of Money in Southern Africa (ESAAMLG) in Kasane, Botswana.
“The authorities will cooperate with each other, exchanging information or financial intelligence (…), spontaneously or upon request, that may assist in the investigation of person(s) suspected of having been involved in money laundering, financing of terrorism , financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or related criminal activities,” justifies the text of the memorandum of understanding.
The agreement, signed by the general director of the FIC, Jeanne Pauline Gashumba, and by the general director of the GIFIM, Aurélio Matavele Júnior, also has the objective of “developing, expanding and improving the cooperation framework” between both authorities “and creating a cooperation framework mutually beneficial relationship.
“The authorities will cooperate to exchange, collect, develop and analyze information in their possession related to financial transactions suspected of being related to money laundering and associated underlying crimes, the financing of terrorism and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or related crimes. , adds the agreement.
Mozambique’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance on Friday pointed to the government’s risk assessments on terrorist financing and legislative changes as “evidence of the country’s commitment” to exit the FATF’s international “grey list.”
“Mozambique is committed to cooperating with all nations, especially the ESAAMLG, and bilaterally to prevent and combat money laundering and terrorist financing in accordance with FATF recommendations. [Grupo de Ação Financeira Internacional]”, declared Carla Louveira, in statements to the media, on the sidelines of the meetings of experts of the African group, in Kasane.
According to the minister, the carrying out of risk assessments in the sector of “designated non-financial activities and professions”, the approval of laws to prevent and combat money laundering and the revision of the Law on combating terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction “are proof of the commitment” of the country, which has already requested the reclassification of 15 other recommendations made by the FATF to leave the international “gray list.”
The Kasane meeting aims to discuss and approve the mutual evaluation report and evaluate the progress made by ESAAMLG Member States in the implementation of the 40 FATF recommendations, of which Mozambique hopes that the nine re-evaluated “will be approved and published ” now.
The Government of Mozambique also requested at this meeting the first evaluation and reclassification of another 15 recommendations, following the recent approval by parliament of legislation to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, attempting to resolve “the remaining deficiencies identified in the 2019 evaluation”. “.
Between April and October next year, Mozambique will still have to provide “evidence” that the country is implementing the new legislation.
In August, the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique approved, by consensus, legal changes that strengthen the prevention and fight against money laundering and terrorism, including specific financial sanctions.
Source: Observadora
