Côte d’Ivoire has been officially removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, marking a significant development for the country's financial system and international economic standing.

The decision was announced on October 30, 2026, following the FATF's plenary meeting in Paris. The West African country had been placed under increased monitoring in October 2024 over deficiencies in its efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

The removal follows 24 months of reforms aimed at addressing the shortcomings identified by the international financial watchdog. These measures included strengthening financial supervision, improving transparency around company ownership, enhancing international cooperation and increasing the effectiveness of investigations and prosecutions related to financial crimes.

The FATF acknowledged Côte d’Ivoire's progress in implementing its action plan, particularly in strengthening its mechanisms to detect and address money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

The decision is expected to improve international confidence in the country's financial system and could facilitate relations with foreign banking institutions and investors. Inclusion on the grey list can lead to increased scrutiny of financial transactions, higher compliance costs and additional checks by international banks.

However, removal from the list does not mean that all financial crime risks have been eliminated. Côte d’Ivoire will still need to maintain its reforms and ensure the effective implementation of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework.

The development represents an important step in the country's efforts to strengthen financial transparency and improve its position within the international financial system.