Tunisia Country Summary
Medium-High Risk
View full Ratings TableSanctions
Higher Concern
FATF AML Deficient List
Lower Concern
Terrorism
Medium Concern
Corruption
Medium Concern
US State ML Assessment
Lower Concern
Criminal Markets (GI Index)
Medium Concern
EU Tax Blacklist
Lower Concern
Offshore Finance Center
Lower Concern
Please note that although the below Summary will give a general outline of the AML risks associated with the jurisdiction, if you are a Regulated entity then you may need to demonstrate that your Jurisdictional AML risk assessment has included a full assessment of the risk elements that have been identified as underpinning overall Country AML risk. To satisfy these requirements, we would recommend that you use our Subscription area.
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Anti Money Laundering
FATF Status
Tunisia is no longer on the FATF List of Countries that have been identified as having strategic AML deficiencies
Compliance with FATF Recommendations
The latest follow-up to the Mutual Evaluation Report relating to the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards in Tunisia was undertaken in 2019. According to that Evaluation, Tunisia was deemed Compliant for 10 and Largely Compliant for 26 of the FATF 40 Recommendations. It was also deemed Highly Effective for 0 and Substantially Effective for 0 with regard to the 11 areas of Effectiveness of its AML/CFT Regime.
Sanctions
There are no United Nations Security Council sanctions, arms embargoes, or general trade embargoes in place against Tunisia. Beyond the UN, several countries maintain targeted measures on individuals or entities connected with Tunisia, including EU asset freezes for misappropriation of Tunisian state funds (active at least until 31 January 2027), US sanctions targeting specific Tunisian-related entities and individuals under EO 13224, and Canada's asset freezes on listed Tunisian officials; the UK has no active Tunisia-specific measures since December 2020, and Switzerland has no standing autonomous regime.
Criminality
Rating |
0 (bad) - 100 (good) |
|---|---|
| Transparency International Corruption Index | 39 |
| World Bank: Control of Corruption Percentile Rank | 43 |
Tunisia grapples with significant challenges related to crime and corruption, as evidenced by the prevalence of human trafficking, counterfeit goods, and drug trade. While the government has implemented various laws and institutions aimed at combating corruption, such as the Assets Declaration Law and whistleblower protections, the effectiveness of these measures is undermined by a lack of operational oversight and ongoing issues within the judicial system.
Economy
Tunisia's economy in 2024 faced significant challenges, including high unemployment and inflation, rising public debt, and shortages of essential goods, resulting in a modest GDP growth of only 1.4 percent. While the government has made efforts to improve the business climate and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), substantial bureaucratic barriers remain, and many sectors are still closed to foreign investment. Despite these hurdles, Tunisia's strategic location, a well-educated workforce, and growth in sectors such as tourism and agribusiness present opportunities for investment, particularly if recent proposals to liberalize foreign exchange laws are successfully implemented.
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