Tanzania has reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthening systems for monitoring and controlling money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of weapons of mass destruction, assuring the international community of sustained reforms to safeguard financial integrity.
The pledge was made by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Eng. Mshamu Ali Munde (MP), on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar (MP), during the Egmont Group International Meeting on Global Exchange of Financial Intelligence, held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in Arusha.
Eng. Munde said Tanzania has made notable progress in building a strong framework to combat financial crimes through institutional strengthening, legal reforms and enhanced international cooperation.
He said these efforts enabled the country to be removed from the list of jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in combating money laundering and terrorist financing after successfully implementing the action plan set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
He noted that the European Union’s decision to delist Tanzania from high-risk jurisdictions marked a turning point in restoring financial credibility and boosting investor confidence, describing the achievement as a product of firm leadership, comprehensive legal reforms and close collaboration between national institutions and development partners.
The deputy minister said Tanzania would continue working closely with Egmont Group members and regional bodies, including the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), to ensure domestic systems remain aligned with international standards on financial integrity.
He stressed that financial crime transcends borders and requires coordinated action, information sharing and joint tracking of illicit financial flows.
Eng. Munde also acknowledged the contribution of international partners, including the UK Treasury Unit, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the EU Global Facility on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, for providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to Tanzanian financial intelligence and enforcement institutions.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chair of the Egmont Group Secretariat, Ms Elżbieta Franków-Jaśkiewicz, said Tanzania has demonstrated strong performance as an Egmont member, particularly in international cooperation, which she described as vital for protecting the integrity of both national and global financial systems.
She said the Egmont Group remains committed to supporting its members by providing secure platforms for exchanging financial intelligence, sharing expertise and strengthening collective efforts against money laundering, terrorist financing and related financial crimes.
She added that Tanzania plays a significant role in promoting cooperation in Eastern and Southern Africa and continues to show firm commitment to regional and global collaboration.
Ms Franków-Jaśkiewicz noted that the participation of more than 400 delegates underscored the global strength of the Egmont community and the shared resolve to combat illicit financial flows.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Mr Majaba Magana, said Tanzania’s progress in addressing money laundering and terrorist financing has been gradual but consistent, anchored by key institutional and legal reforms.
He said the establishment of the FIU under the Anti-Money Laundering Act marked a major milestone by creating a central authority responsible for receiving and analysing financial intelligence.
Mr Magana said continued legal reforms, adoption of risk-based supervision and enhanced operational capacity have produced measurable outcomes, including improved reporting of suspicious transactions, increased use of financial intelligence in criminal prosecutions and stronger international cooperation.
The Egmont meeting brought together representatives from more than 182 member countries, providing a platform for exchanging knowledge, expertise and financial intelligence aimed at strengthening the global fight against money laundering, related predicate offences and terrorist financing.
