Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle has reaffirmed the Government of Nepal’s commitment to implementing all necessary measures to secure the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Speaking during a discussion held at his office today regarding the action plan of the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) under the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), Minister Wagle stressed that Nepal is fully committed to meeting international compliance standards.
During the meeting with an APG delegation, the Finance Minister stated that the government would mobilize all available resources and institutional capacity to address concerns raised by international monitoring agencies. He emphasized that the current government has prioritized good governance and accelerated development, adding that citizens have already begun to feel the positive impact of recent reforms introduced after the government’s formation.
Minister Wagle also informed the delegation that relevant government bodies are implementing both short-term and long-term measures aimed at removing Nepal from the grey list. He noted that regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been established to track progress.
According to the Minister, Nepal has demonstrated notable improvements in several anti-money laundering compliance indicators compared to previous review periods.
However, APG Deputy Executive Secretary David Shannon stated during the discussion that Nepal still has substantial work ahead before qualifying for removal from the FATF grey list.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Nepal Rastra Bank, and other concerned agencies.
Nepal was placed on the FATF grey list in early 2025 for a two-year period. Since then, the government has been implementing a 15-point reform plan aimed at strengthening anti-money laundering mechanisms and enhancing financial transparency.
