Kenya: Ruto Urges EU to Lift Money Laundering Restrictions
Kenyan President William Ruto has called on the European Union (EU) to remove Kenya from its high-risk list for money laundering and terrorist financing.
He made the appeal on November 12, 2026, while meeting with heads of EU delegations from several African countries in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Ruto said his administration had addressed 13 of the 21 financial system deficiencies identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), demonstrating progress towards international compliance.
He argued that removing Kenya from the list would ease financial transactions between the country and Europe, particularly for businesses, banks and individuals.
The president also expressed concern about additional checks on international money transfers, including remittances sent by Kenyans living and working abroad.
He maintained that Kenya’s removal would reduce these restrictions, making cross-border payments easier and improving financial relations with European countries.
The EU placed Kenya on its list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering and terrorist financing on August 5, 2025.
