Implementation of Internal Control Systems to Combat Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism – An Applied Exploratory Study to the Angolan Financial Sector

The Angolan financial system is observing several regulatory changes that are being adopted by local banks at a considerable speed in the last years. Considering the pressured context in which such changes are being internalized, this study is intended to ascertain the level of implementation and the way that control systems are being adopted by the Angolan financial institutions, in order to prevent and combat money laundering and financing of terrorism. A survey was submitted to the banking institutions that operate in the Angolan financial sector with the purpose of understanding to what extent prevention controls and mechanisms for money laundering and financing of terrorism have been implemented, and identify the main difficulties that banking institutions are facing on the adoption of such controls and mechanisms. Using a descriptive analysis, the results show that the banking institutions consider to have implemented control systems that are capable of mitigating the risk of money laundering and financing of terrorism. The results also show that, although there are formal and concrete policies in place, the Angolan banking institutions possess deficient control tools in terms of information systems and data management and lack adequate staff training which potentially threatens the effectiveness of the controls that have been implemented.