Addis Ababa, August 27, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia has called on regional partners to prioritize the fight against money laundering and intensify efforts to innovate strategies for countering terrorism financing across the continent.
The appeal came as the 50th Task Force of Senior Officials Meeting of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) convened in Addis Ababa. ESAAMLG, a regional body of 21 member states including Ethiopia, is headquartered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and is dedicated to preventing money laundering and terrorist financing within its jurisdiction.
Opening the session, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Affairs Minister, Alemtsehay Paulos, underscored the critical importance of robust collaboration among member states to address these financial crimes. As Chairperson of Ethiopia’s National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Committee, Alemtsehay emphasized the necessity for member countries to share insights on challenges and pursue collective solutions.
“Cooperation, accountability, and technical expertise are paramount,” Alemtsehay stated. She highlighted that, given the escalating threats posed by money laundering and terrorism financing, member states must demonstrate a unified commitment to modernizing financial systems and promoting good governance by curbing illicit monetary flows. “Advancing innovative solutions in this fight is not optional—it is essential,” she added.
On Ethiopia’s domestic initiatives, Alemtsehay noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, countering money laundering and terrorist financing has been elevated to a national priority. “Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, Ethiopia has positioned the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Committee at the core of the government’s reform agenda.
The committee integrates 23 national institutions under a whole-of-government approach, providing strategic guidance, interagency coordination, and oversight of Ethiopia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing agenda.”
Through this mechanism, Ethiopia has advanced significant legal reforms, strengthened its financial intelligence units, enhanced the capacities of supervisory authorities and law enforcement agencies, and promoted the effective enforcement of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures.
Echoing the call for regional collaboration, ESAAMLG Executive Secretary Fikile P. Zitha stressed the urgent need to shift the narrative that associates the region with financial crimes. “This transformation can only occur through strong coordination and genuine cooperation among our countries. We must move beyond traditional approaches and work as one for the benefit of our nations,” Zitha said.
She further emphasized that only through united action can member states effectively combat money laundering and terrorism financing, safeguarding the integrity of the region’s financial systems.