- The First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mauritius, Mr. Rajeev Hasnah
- The Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mauritius, Mr. Ramsamy Chinniah
- The Chief Executive of the Financial Services Commission, Mrs. Prabha Chinien
- The Director General of the Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Titrudeo Dawoodarry
- Colleagues from the Bank of Mauritius, Financial Crimes Commission and Financial Services Commission
- Our newly selected cohort of Graduates
- Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
I am delighted to welcome you to the launch of the third edition of the Graduate Programme for Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
This edition marks an important development. For the first time, the programme is being jointly offered by the Bank of Mauritius, the Financial Crimes Commission, and the Financial Services Commission.
The programme was established with a clear objective: to develop the next generation of AML/CFT professionals by combining technical knowledge with practical experience. Its evolution reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of financial crime. What began as a collaboration between the Bank and the FSC has now expanded to include the FCC, bringing together supervision, financial intelligence, and enforcement.
This integrated approach is essential because financial crime does not respect institutional boundaries. Effective prevention, detection, and enforcement depend on cooperation across agencies. Through this programme, graduates will gain exposure to different mandates and perspectives, allowing them to better understand how the three institutions function and work together towards shared objectives.
Graduates, you join us at an important moment. Mauritius is preparing for its Mutual Evaluation Review by the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) in 2027. These preparations are intensifying ahead of a mission scheduled for December this year.
A mutual evaluation assesses more than laws and regulations. It examines whether institutions can work together to deliver effective outcomes through sound supervision, timely cooperation, and credible enforcement. It is, in many respects, a test of whether the frameworks for AML/CFT and for Countering Proliferation Financing (CPF) work in practice.
This is critical for Mauritius. As an International Financial Centre, our success depends not only on efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness, but also on trust. Investors, businesses, and international partners must have confidence in the integrity of the jurisdiction within which they operate. Strong AML/CFT/CPF frameworks are thus essential for the credibility and resilience of our financial system.
Mauritius has worked hard to build that credibility. Today, our country stands among a small group of jurisdictions that have achieved Compliant or Largely Compliant ratings on the 40 Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). This reflects years of sustained effort by public institutions, regulators, law enforcement agencies, and private-sector stakeholders. Maintaining and strengthening that position will require continued vigilance, adaptability, and commitment.
Ultimately, AML/CFT/CPF is about protecting trust. Financial systems function because people trust institutions, transactions, and the rule of law. When that trust is undermined, the costs extend far beyond any individual case of financial crime. They can affect confidence, investment, and economic opportunity.
That is why your role matters. Over the coming year, you will acquire technical knowledge and practical experience, but you will also contribute to a broader national objective: safeguarding the integrity and reputation of Mauritius as a trusted international financial centre.
I encourage you to make the most of the opportunities before you. Learn from the expertise around you, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and embrace the intellectual rigour that this programme demands. Technical competence is essential, but so too are judgement, integrity, and a commitment to public service.
Before concluding, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the teams at the Bank of Mauritius, the Financial Services Commission, and the Financial Crimes Commission whose dedication and collaboration have made this third edition of the AML/CFT graduate programme possible.
I wish all participants in the programme every success in the year ahead.
Thank you for your attention.
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