Mozambique strengthens strategies against money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing

The initiative is supported by Swiss Cooperation, represented by the Embassy of Switzerland in Mozambique, and brings together magistrates, specialists and representatives from various institutions with the aim of strengthening national capacity to prevent, investigate and combat organised and transnational crime. The seminar aims to strengthen institutional capacities in the detection, analysis, investigation, case preparation, prosecution and criminal accountability of perpetrators of these crimes. At the opening ceremony, Deputy Attorney-General Taibo Mucobora, representing the Attorney-General of the Republic, highlighted that the organisation of the seminar demonstrates that responding to the challenges posed by organised crime requires increasingly strong, better-prepared institutions capable of acting in a coordinated manner.

Mucobora also stated that transnational organised crime has become significantly more sophisticated in recent decades. According to him, criminal organisations have moved beyond relying exclusively on traditional illicit activities and now move large financial resources, use seemingly legitimate companies, exploit new technologies and virtual assets, and take advantage of vulnerabilities in global markets to conceal the illicit origin of their proceeds through complex international networks. Mucobora further stressed that effective action against money laundering begins long before the formal charging of a suspect or the submission of a case to the courts.

In his view, prevention depends on the commitment and coordinated action of all public and private entities, whose cooperation makes it possible to deprive criminal organisations of what truly sustains their power: financial resources derived from criminal activity. For her part, GCCCOT Director Amélia Machava expressed the expectation that, over the two days of work, the seminar will identify the main challenges affecting the authorities’ performance, strengthen inter-institutional cooperation and define concrete actions to improve the performance of the Law Enforcement Authorities Sub-Committee. Photo: Procuradoria Geral da República MoçambiqueFinally, the GCCCOT Director called for the seminar to serve as a platform for frank dialogue, critical reflection and the sharing of experiences. She said the meeting should strengthen cooperation between institutions and help consolidate a common vision on the challenges and responses required to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorism financing and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.