Tunisia’s Efforts to Combat Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing

In 2017, the Tunisian Financial Analysis Committee (CTAF) released a report summarizing the country’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. The report highlights various laws, procedures, and measures taken by Tunisia to strengthen its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) framework.

Legislative Level

New Laws and Regulations

• Law No. 26 of 7 August 2015: Enacted to combat terrorism and prevent money laundering.
• Basic Law No. 77: Established an economic and financial judicial court to investigate complex economic and financial crimes.
• Security Council Resolutions: A new system was introduced to implement targeted financial sanctions.

Strategic Level

National Strategies

• National Strategy for Combating Terrorism and Extremism (2016): Adopted by the National Security Council in October 2016.
• National Strategy for Good Governance and Anti-Corruption (2016): Issued by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in December 2016.

Preventive Measures

Regulatory Bodies

• Key regulatory bodies issued new regulations outlining:
  • Risk-based approach
  • Due diligence measures to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing
• Regulations on cash payments to public accountants, charging a 1% interest rate for amounts exceeding 5000 dinars (approximately $2000).

Clarification of Legislation and Dissemination of Guidelines

CTAF’s Efforts

• Issued guidelines on reporting suspicious transactions.
• Clarified legislation and disseminated guidelines on:
  • Due diligence programs
  • AML/CFT measures
  • Regulation of microfinance institutions.

Overall, the report showcases Tunisia’s commitment to strengthening its AML and CFT framework through various laws, procedures, and measures.