The Democratic Republic of Congo has been officially removed from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (Gafi), a decision announced on Friday, October 30, in Paris. This move marks a significant advancement in the credibility of the Congolese financial system and opens up favorable prospects for investments. The country's removal from the list comes after four years of reforms and satisfying 23 measures of its reform plan.
The Gafi had placed the DR Congo under enhanced surveillance since October 2022 due to strategic gaps in its anti-money laundering and terrorist financing mechanisms. However, the country's authorities have made significant progress in strengthening its financial crime prevention mechanisms. According to Gafi, the DR Congo completed its action plan, which was documented by ten progress reports and validated after an evaluation mission in September 2026.
The DR Congo's removal from the grey list is a result of multisectoral and coordinated reforms. Under the guidance of President Félix Tshisekedi, the National Financial Intelligence Cell (Cenaref) played a central role in implementing the reforms. Other institutions, including the Central Bank of Congo, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (Arca), the Ministry of Justice, and the private sector, also contributed to this effort.
The reforms focused on the legal, institutional, and operational aspects, aiming to address identified weaknesses in preventing and suppressing illicit financial flows, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. In September, a Gafi mission to Kinshasa praised the government's progress in sanitizing the national financial system.
The DR Congo's removal from the grey list has significant economic implications. It is expected to boost investor confidence, improve the country's risk perception, and facilitate relationships between Congolese banks and their international correspondents. This, in turn, will enhance the execution of cross-border payments and trade financing.
The DR Congo's government has expressed its appreciation to Gafi, the Anti-Money Laundering Group in Central Africa (Gabac), the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), and technical and financial partners for their support in implementing the reforms. The government has committed to continuing the fight against financial crime.
The DR Congo's removal from the grey list is a significant milestone, but the country must maintain its efforts to prevent the resurgence of vulnerabilities. The government aims to transform this international recognition into concrete economic benefits, including improved access to international financial circuits, a reinforced climate of trust, and increased attractiveness to investors.
Key points
- The DR Congo has satisfied 23 measures of its reform plan, leading to its removal from Gafi's grey list.
- The country's removal from the grey list is expected to boost investor confidence and improve its risk perception.
- The DR Congo must maintain its efforts to prevent the resurgence of vulnerabilities and transform international recognition into concrete economic benefits.
