The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering has published the Mutual Evaluation Reports for the Maldives and Niue, which were adopted by members at the August 2025 plenary meeting. Their publication completes the APG Global 4th Round of Mutual Evaluations. Substantively, the Maldives report identifies material weaknesses in the effectiveness and framework of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime, while the Niue report finds a much lower risk environment but continued technical and institutional gaps across key areas. For the Maldives, the report says authorities have a good understanding of money laundering risks but only a limited understanding of terrorist financing risks, and lack a national AML/CFT strategy and coordinated policy framework. It highlights uneven use of financial intelligence, investigations and confiscation outcomes that are not aligned with the jurisdiction's risk profile, deficiencies in targeted financial sanctions for terrorism and proliferation financing, weak supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professions, and insufficient beneficial ownership transparency. For Niue, the report describes a microstate with low ML/TF risks and only three reporting entities, but notes that the financial intelligence unit was non-operational from 2020 to 2024, no suspicious transaction reports have been received from regulated entities, there has been no supervision of reporting entities, and there is no legal and operational framework to implement targeted financial sanctions for terrorist or proliferation financing without delay. It also points to weaknesses in transparency of legal persons and legal arrangements, while noting Niue is working on draft AML/CFT legislation. The APG said it will continue follow-up reporting and technical compliance re-ratings under its Transitional 4th Round Follow-Up Procedures.
Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)2025-10-23
Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering publishes Maldives and Niue mutual evaluations, completes Global 4th Round
The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering has published mutual evaluation reports for the Maldives and Niue, completing its Global 4th Round of Mutual Evaluations. The Maldives report identifies significant shortcomings in risk-based coordination, investigations, sanctions and beneficial ownership transparency, while the Niue report finds low risks but persistent gaps in supervision, financial intelligence capacity and targeted financial sanctions. APG follow-up reporting and technical compliance re-ratings will continue under its Transitional 4th Round procedures.