Mozambique has recorded a significant improvement in the latest report by the Basel Institute on Governance, rising 20 places in the global ranking of money-laundering and financial-crime risk (Basel AML Index). The country now sits in 32nd place among 177 assessed jurisdictions — a clear sign of progress in governance reforms, transparency, and anti-corruption efforts.
The index evaluates several areas, including the quality of anti-money-laundering legislation, financial transparency, regulatory standards, public accountability, and political and legal risks — all key factors in determining a jurisdiction’s overall risk level.
According to the 2025 report, Mozambique’s improvement aligns with advances seen across several African economies, where around 70% of the jurisdictions assessed showed progress in combating financial crime. Among the countries with the largest relative improvements are Mozambique, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mali, and Tanzania.
Under the Basel AML Index criteria, Mozambique’s rise may be linked to improvements in areas such as anti-money-laundering legislation, increased financial transparency, and strengthened international cooperation. The expectation is that this classification may help boost investor confidence and improve the country’s business environment.
However, the report warns that risk remains high in sensitive areas such as weak oversight institutions, bribery practices, financial-standards deficiencies, and gaps in public monitoring — aspects that still require attention and continued reinforcement.
The improvement in the ranking may enhance the country’s international image, ease access to external financing, and attract foreign investment. To ensure sustainability of these gains, analysts call for the consolidation of structural reforms, stronger transparency measures, and a firm fight against corruption and money laundering at all levels of public and private administration.
After nearly three years under strict international monitoring, Mozambique was officially removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “grey list,” a recognition of the progress made in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
This removal, formalised in October 2025, was widely celebrated by national authorities as a crucial step toward restoring investor confidence and revitalising the national economy. President Daniel Chapo highlighted that the decision “opens a new chapter” for the country, allowing greater fluidity within the international financial system and boosting the business environment.
In this context of recovering external credibility, Mozambique’s 20-place jump in the 2025 Basel AML Index — one of the world’s leading barometers of legal-financial risk — stands as another positive signal of institutional improvement and is viewed as a direct reflection of recent efforts to strengthen supervisory mechanisms and consolidate the regulatory framework of the financial sector.
Source: Diário Económico
