African Center Executive Director Calls for Fairer Global Financial Integrity Framework in RUSI Journal
The Executive Director of the African Center, Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, has contributed to international discussions on the future of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), highlighting the need for a more inclusive and context-sensitive approach to global financial integrity.
In her research article, “Is the Financial Action Task Force Fit for the Future?”, published on 2 September 2026 in the RUSI Journal by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), London, she examines the implications of FATF’s compliance and enforcement framework for developing countries, particularly in Africa. The article critically assesses FATF’s greylisting mechanism and its consequences for countries facing structural, institutional and economic constraints. It questions whether existing compliance assessments adequately reflect national realities and whether punitive measures consistently produce meaningful improvements in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems.
Drawing on assessments of African countries, Madam Juliet advocates stronger representation of developing economies in global financial governance, greater consideration of country-specific circumstances and a shift towards cooperative, capacity-building approaches that support sustainable compliance. Her contribution reinforces the African Center’s ongoing advocacy for a global financial integrity system that effectively combats illicit financial flows while recognizing the development priorities and institutional realities of African countries.
The publication forms part of the RUSI Journal, Volume 171, Issue 5, which examines emerging challenges and reform priorities in the international financial integrity architecture.
Read the full article: Is the Financial Action Task Force Fit for the Future? – RUSI Journal
