Cambodia has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, commonly known as the “grey list”.
According to details published by the FATF on Friday following its latest plenary meeting, Cambodia and Morocco have both been removed from the grey list due to progress made in improving their respective AML/CFT regimes covered by their individual action plans.
“Each country has addressed its technical deficiencies to meet the commitments of its action plan on strategic deficiencies that the FATF identified in February 2019 and 2021 respectively,” the FATF said.
“Both countries are no longer subject to the FATF’s increased monitoring process but will continue to work with the FATF-style regional body (FSRB) of which they are a member to further strengthen their AML/CFT regimes.”
The FATF describes jurisdictions under increased monitoring as those actively working with the agency to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.”
Cambodia had been placed on the list in 2019 largely due to concerns over a lack of AML/CFT controls in relation to the nation’s casino industry. It then failed an assessment in 2021 with FATF expressing “significant concern” over the progress of authorities in Cambodia and stating the nation had “failed to complete its action plan, which fully expired in January 2021.”
New countries added to the grey list in 2023 are South Africa and Nigeria.