Mauritania’s Inadequate Response to Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Raises Concerns

Mauritania, a country in the West Africa region, has been found lacking in its efforts to combat money laundering (ML) and terrorism financing (TF). A recent review of the country’s measures against ML and TF has raised concerns about its inability to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes.

Inadequate Investigations and Prosecution

• Many cases related to ML activities have gone unpunished, with no criminal prosecution brought against suspects.
• The sanctions imposed on natural and legal persons are not proportionate, dissuasive, or effective in deterring these crimes.

The report highlights that the country’s authorities have failed to conduct parallel investigations into ML crimes, despite the presence of predicate offenses such as human trafficking and customs smuggling. This lack of action has allowed ML activities to continue unchecked, leading to concerns about the country’s ability to effectively combat these crimes.

Limited International Cooperation

• Mauritania has failed to implement United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions related to the prevention, suppression, and discontinuance of proliferation and its financing.
• The country has not provided sufficient statistics on the investigation and prosecution of TF crimes, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of its efforts.

The lack of cooperation with international authorities has hindered efforts to combat TF. Mauritania’s financial intelligence unit lacks a clear approach to identifying TF crimes, and international cooperation is limited. This has made it challenging for foreign authorities to submit requests for designations under UNSC resolutions related to the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation.

Technical Deficiencies

• Technical deficiencies have been identified in the implementation of UNSC resolutions related to the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation.
• These deficiencies have hindered the ability of foreign authorities to submit requests for designations under these resolutions.

The report concludes that Mauritania’s inadequate response to ML and TF raises concerns about the country’s ability to effectively combat these crimes. The international community should consider providing technical assistance and capacity building to help Mauritania strengthen its AML/CFT regime and improve its cooperation with international authorities.

In order to address these concerns, it is essential for Mauritania to take immediate action to:

• Improve the effectiveness of its investigations and prosecution of ML and TF crimes
• Enhance international cooperation to combat TF
• Address technical deficiencies in the implementation of UNSC resolutions related to the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation
• Provide sufficient statistics on the investigation and prosecution of TF crimes