National Risk Assessment Source Map

A National Risk Assessment (NRA) is a country's structured assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing risks. It helps explain sectoral risks, threat patterns, vulnerabilities and control priorities.

1. Why NRAs matter #

NRAs are useful because they show how a country understands its own risk landscape. They can inform sector risk, geographic risk, product risk and customer-risk context.

2. What to look for #

3. Evidence use #

Use NRA findings as context, not as a final customer decision. A customer still needs individual CDD, KYB, UBO, sanctions, PEP and adverse media assessment.

4. Limitations #

NRAs vary in quality, age, public detail and methodology. Some are not public. They may also be politically sensitive or too high-level for a specific customer decision.

5. Source basis #

• SRC-FATF-010: FATF Money Laundering National Risk Assessment Guidance.
• SRC-FATF-001: FATF Recommendations and risk-based approach.

Egmont and comparative context#

Egmont's report on the role of FIUs in the National Risk Assessment process (SRC-EGMONT-NRA-001) adds operational context on FIU data, coordination, stakeholder participation and implementation of NRA findings.

The Basel AML Index (SRC-BASEL-INDEX-001) may be used as an external comparative indicator, but it is not an NRA and must not replace the country's own risk assessment or FATF findings.

A strong source note separates:

1. national assessment;
2. FATF evaluation and list status;
3. FIU operational context;
4. independent comparative indices;
5. institution-specific exposure.