By: Shegaw Yemataw 

Ethiopia has restated its commitment to combating money laundering and illicit financial flows at the 50th task force meeting of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG). The meeting, which includes senior officials from member countries, began today at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa.

The gathering aims to evaluate the progress member countries have made in fighting financial crimes and to offer recommendations for new policies.

During her opening remarks, Alemtsehay Paulos, Head of the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and also the chair of Ethiopia's national anti-money laundering committee, emphasized the meeting's crucial role in reviewing the effectiveness of member nations' anti-money laundering measures. She highlighted the importance of building stronger anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks throughout the region.

Alemtsehay noted that Ethiopia is taking decisive action to address these issues through legal reforms and institutional cooperation.

Frezer Ayalew, the chairperson of the senior officials' task force, said the meeting would assess member countries' progress in combating financial crimes and provide valuable input.

Muluken Amare, Director General of the Ethiopian Financial Intelligence Service, affirmed Ethiopia's readiness to both share best practices and learn from other countries to help contain financial crimes across the region.

The Executive Secretary of the ESAAMLG, Fikile Zitha, called on member countries to unite in a collaborative effort to address the rising threat of illicit financial inflows.

The ESAAMLG, which has 21 member countries, started its meetings on August 22. The group will also host the 25th Council of Ministers and the 8th Public-Private Sector Dialogue in Addis Ababa until August 30 to strengthen partnerships in the fight against money laundering.