The Attorney General of the Republic, Beatriz Buchili, said on Wednesday that the Public Prosecutor's Office is complying with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which in October last year placed Mozambique on the Grey List and under increased surveillance.

"The placing of Mozambique under enhanced surveillance aims, among other things, to ensure that the national authorities swiftly eliminate the shortcomings identified in their system for preventing and combating money laundering and terrorist financing," said Buchili, quoted by AIM.

According to the magistrate, who was speaking at the XI National Meeting of the Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC), as a way of reversing the scenario, the Public Prosecutor's Office is carrying out various training sessions for magistrates and investigators from the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) to improve the investigation of cases involving financial economic crimes and increase the number of people charged.

According to Buchili, one of the aspects that contributed to the country's withdrawal from enhanced surveillance had to do with the approval of Mozambique's risk assessment report, a fundamental instrument for preventing and combating money laundering.

"It is important that each institution, within the scope of its competencies, implements the necessary measures to eliminate the risks identified."

Money laundering, illicit deposit-taking activity, maladministration, loan sharking, financial investment fraud, unauthorized currency circulation, embezzlement remain the biggest challenges for the Public Prosecutor's Office.

According to Buchili, the country continues to face enormous challenges in the fight against corruption, given that this legal type of crime has served as an instrument for the operationalization of other crimes, namely kidnapping, drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

Since 2022, Mozambique has been on the FATF's 'Grey List', which assesses member countries on the implementation of measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.

At the time, the FATF imposed a two-year deadline for the country to get off the list by complying with recommendations aimed at preventing illicit activities.