Financial Action Task Force updates grey list and adds Kuwait and Papua New Guinea

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published an updated list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, providing refreshed public statements on progress and remaining strategic deficiencies in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) frameworks. The update keeps 22 jurisdictions under increased monitoring and newly identifies Kuwait and Papua New Guinea, while making an initial determination that Algeria and Namibia have substantially completed their action plans and warrant on-site assessments to verify that reforms are being implemented and sustained. Updated statements were issued for jurisdictions whose progress was reviewed since October 2025, while Haiti and Syria deferred reporting and therefore retain previously issued statements. The FATF reiterated that it does not call for enhanced due diligence measures for these jurisdictions and that the FATF Standards do not envisage de-risking, urging a risk-based approach that avoids disrupting humanitarian assistance, legitimate non-profit organisation activity and remittances, and noting relevant obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2761 (2024). The release also highlights jurisdictions where deadlines have expired but work remains, and raises specific concern about Venezuela’s approach to oversight of the non-profit sector, calling for urgent consideration of whether parts of the November 2024 NPO law should be re-examined to align with the FATF’s risk-based approach and Recommendation 8 best practices. Next steps include on-site assessments for Algeria and Namibia as part of the process to confirm sustained implementation, continued increased monitoring for all listed jurisdictions as they work through agreed action plans, and future on-site visits for Syria and Yemen when the security situation allows.