FATF Status

Yemen is currently on the FATF List of Countries that have been identified as having strategic AML deficiencies

Latest FATF Statement - 25 October 2024

Since February 2010, when Yemen made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and MENAFATF to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies, Yemen has made progress to improve its AML/CFT regime. In June 2014, the FATF determined that Yemen had substantially addressed its action plan at a technical level, including by: (1) adequately criminalising money laundering and terrorist financing; (2) establishing procedures to identify and freeze terrorist assets; (3) improving its customer due diligence and suspicious transaction reporting requirements; (4) issuing guidance; (5) developing the monitoring and supervisory capacity of the financial sector supervisory authorities and the financial intelligence unit; and (6) establishing a fully operational and effectively functioning financial intelligence unit. While the FATF determined that Yemen has completed its agreed action plan, due to the security situation, the FATF has been unable to conduct an on-site visit to confirm whether the process of implementing the required reforms and actions has begun and is being sustained. The FATF will continue to monitor the situation, and conduct an on-site visit at the earliest possible date.

Compliance with FATF Recommendations

It should be noted that the new style FATF Mutual Evaluation has not yet been undertaken.

The last Mutual Evaluation Report relating to the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards in Yemen was undertaken by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2008. According to that Evaluation, Yemen was deemed Compliant for 0 and Largely Compliant for 4 of the FATF 40 + 9 Recommendations. It was Partially Compliant or Non-Compliant for 5 of the 6 Core Recommendations.

Corruption is a significant issue in Yemen, worsened by ongoing political instability since 2011, which complicates the investment landscape for companies. The prevalence of patronage networks and nepotism makes it challenging for businesses to operate without local partnerships. Although the government has enacted anti-corruption laws, they fail to address all corruption forms, notably excluding passive bribery and extortion, which remain common practices.

Yemen's economy is one of the poorest in the Middle East, heavily dependent on petroleum production, which constitutes about 25% of GDP and 63% of government revenue. The ongoing civil war has led to a significant decline in GDP and widespread poverty, with approximately 75% of the population requiring humanitarian aid as of 2019.

Yemen's investment climate is severely affected by ongoing conflict and political instability, which has led to a significant decline in economic activity and deterred foreign investment. The lack of infrastructure and security concerns further complicate the business environment, making it challenging for companies to operate effectively. Despite these obstacles, there is potential for investment in sectors like agriculture and natural resources, particularly natural gas, if stability can be restored.