The African Development Bank Group and the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), on 25 July, officially launched a three-year support project to combat money laundering and terrorism financing in their member countries under a project, titled "Regional Capacity Development Project for Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism".
The launch ceremony, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was attended by Fikile Zitha, ESAAMLG Executive Secretary, Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Director, Governance & Economic Reforms at the African Development Bank and Patricia Laverly, Tanzania Country Manager for the African Development Bank. Also in attendance were representatives from Burundi, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Sudan, which are the beneficiary countries. The event was graced by senior government officials of the United Republic of Tanzania and Representatives of development partners.
The project will be financed by a grant from the African Development Bank Group's Transition Support Facility (TSF Pillar III) of approximately $5.2 million. The project, which will be implemented by the ESAAMLG Secretariat, will contribute to resilience in the Eastern and Southern African region by improving anti-money laundering/terrorism financing regimes, including by developing the capacity of ESAAMLG member states, with a particular focus on countries in transition. The five beneficiary countries are: Burundi, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Sudan.
The grant complements the Bank Group's strategic and operational engagements at country and regional levels. It also aligns with its Policy on the Prevention of Illicit Financial Flows, the Bank's group Strategy for Economic Governance in and the Bank Group Action Plan for Anti- Money Laundering and Combatting Illicit Financial Flows (2024 - 2026) which was recently launched in February 2025.
Coulibaly emphasized the Bank's deep commitment to fighting financial crimes in Africa not only to ESAAMLG but also to other Financial Actio Task Force Style Regional Bodies, such as GIABA and GABAC, through its various instruments including program based operations and institutional support programs. He commended the long-standing collaboration between AfDB and ESAAMLG and confirmed the Bank's willingness to continue working with ESAAMLG in this important area.
Zitha expressed her satisfaction and applauded the commitment shown by the AfDB which she said would go a long way in supporting the region especially at a time when ESAAMLG has just started its 3rd Round of Mutual Evaluation.
In addition to being a FATF observer member, the African Development Bank is an observer member of ESAAMLG, which is a key stakeholder in the development of Bank policies, strategies and action plans related to illicit financial flows, anti money-laundering and combatting of terrorism.
About ESAAMLG:
The Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) is a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Style Regional Body (FSRB) and an associate member of the FATF. It was established in 1999 and currently consists of 21 member countries. Its main objective is to work with member countries to promote and assess implementation of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism and proliferation standards issued by the FATF and has its headquarters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Website: www.esaamlg.org
