The National Reserve Bank of Tonga announced it hosted a high-level delegation from the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) to agree strategies and ongoing collaboration to strengthen Tonga’s efforts to combat the financial aspects of serious and organised crime, aligned with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) AML/CFT standards. Governor Tatafu Moeaki described the visit as a milestone in Tonga’s ongoing implementation of global AML/CFT standards and linked the work to the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act passed by Parliament in 2025 and now enacted, which aims to counter increasing financial crime risks while supporting correspondent banking relationships and access to finance. Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i said the new legislation enhances supervisory powers, strengthens confiscation and asset recovery mechanisms, and introduces firmer accountability provisions, alongside recent operational enforcement. APG Co-Chair Mitsutoshi Kajikawa also pointed to APG work with Pacific member governments to improve conditions for correspondent banking by enhancing system integrity and financial crime risk management. Tonga indicated it will continue working with the APG and other regional and development partners to further improve legal frameworks, government systems and private-sector know-how to respond to emerging financial crime risks.
National Reserve Bank of Tonga 2026-02-26
National Reserve Bank of Tonga hosts Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering delegation to strengthen AML CFT collaboration
The National Reserve Bank of Tonga hosted a delegation from the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering to enhance strategies against financial crime, aligning with Financial Action Task Force standards. The visit marks progress in implementing Tonga's Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, strengthening supervisory powers and asset recovery. Tonga will continue collaborating with regional partners to improve legal frameworks and financial crime risk management.