The Comorian notary association, led by President Djaé Saoudi Ahmed, recently hosted a training session on combating money laundering and terrorism financing. The two-day event, held at the former Hotel Les Arcades in Moroni, was led by French university professor Anne-Françoise Zattara and Ait Ahmed Djalim, a representative of the Central Bank of Comoros. The training aimed to equip Comorian notaries with the knowledge to understand the legal framework and institutional architecture surrounding anti-money laundering efforts.
The training focused on new laws governing the notary profession, including the November 2025 law that reformed the notary statute and the June 30, 2025 law that revised the legal framework on money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Anne-Françoise Zattara emphasized the new obligations imposed on notaries under these laws, including the requirement to identify and assess risks and report suspicious transactions.
According to Anne-Françoise Zattara, notaries were chosen as beneficiaries of the training due to their non-financial role being subject to specific obligations under the 2025 law. Notaries are required to map and evaluate risks, and if necessary, file declarations of suspicious operations. The training provided notaries with tools used in France, such as vigilance sheets and questionnaires, to modernize their work and facilitate the identification of useful information.
The training aimed to enable notaries to establish an internal system to map risks and adapt to the modernization of the sector while respecting legal obligations. Notaries are expected to operationalize the law in all its provisions and adapt to practical applications. President Djaé Saoudi Ahmed expressed gratitude to those contributing to transparency and fairness in the exercise of the notary profession.
Ait Ahmed Djalim, a representative of the Central Bank of Comoros, highlighted that the adoption of the new anti-money laundering law places notaries on the same level as bankers and law enforcement. Notaries now have a legal obligation to declare all suspicions related to money laundering and report them to a financial intelligence unit.
The training is part of efforts to strengthen the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing in Comoros. The country's authorities have demonstrated their commitment to enhancing transparency and fairness in the notary profession. Notaries have a critical role to play in preventing financial crimes, and this training is a step towards equipping them with the necessary knowledge and tools.
The Comorian notary association plans to build on this training to enhance the profession's capacity to prevent financial crimes. The association's president, Djaé Saoudi Ahmed, emphasized the importance of continuous training and professional development for notaries to meet the evolving demands of their role.
Key points
- Comoros notaries receive training on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing
- New laws impose stricter obligations on notaries to prevent financial crimes
- Notaries required to declare suspicious transactions and report to financial intelligence unit
