Uganda Removed from EU High-Risk Financial Jurisdictions List

Brussels — The European Commission has officially removed Uganda from its list of high-risk third-country jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) measures.

The updated list, released on Monday, reflects the Commission’s efforts to strengthen the international fight against financial crime. It follows a rigorous technical assessment process, aligned with the standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body overseeing AML/CFT compliance.

Uganda’s delisting indicates significant improvements in its national framework to prevent illicit financial flows and demonstrates the country’s commitment to enforcing global financial integrity standards. The decision is expected to facilitate smoother international transactions, reduce compliance burdens for Ugandan financial institutions operating within the EU, and encourage greater foreign investment.

Other countries removed from the list include Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, several jurisdictions were newly added, such as Kenya, Algeria, Lebanon, and Venezuela.

The update is legally binding through a delegated regulation under Article 9 of the EU’s 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive. The regulation is now subject to a one-month scrutiny period by the European Parliament and Council before formal enforcement.

The delisting reaffirms Uganda’s alignment with international norms and positions it more competitively in the global financial landscape.