(Ecofin Agency) - The European Union Commission proposes Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana and Libya to be listed on the money laundering blacklist. On the other hand, the institution announced the removal of Uganda from this list.

According to information reported by American channel CNBC, these countries were targeted because of “strategic gaps in their anti-money laundering and terrorism financing regime”. The measure falls within the framework of anti-money laundering fight initiated after scandals involving EU’s banks.

If the proposition is validated by all the EU member countries, these four African countries will join Ethiopia and Tunisia, blacklisted in February 2018.

Though the listing of these countries would not call for sanctions, the EU can exert some pressure on them by, for instance, obliging central banks to apply tighter controls over financial operations involving clients or financial institutions operating locally.

Let’s note that the vote of approval is to be held within a month but some countries, like the UK, are already questioning the relevance of the list.

Sixteen countries and territories are already on the EU money-laundering blacklist; if the new countries are validated, it will rise to 23.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou