The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has brought together ECOWAS Resident Representatives from all member states to deepen engagement in combating illicit financial flows, money laundering, and terrorist financing across the sub-region.
The two-day seminar, which opened on Thursday, July 17, in Accra, seeks to strengthen GIABA’s mandate by leveraging the political and institutional influence of the ECOWAS envoys in their respective countries.
It comes at a time when West Africa continues to grapple with transnational crimes that undermine governance, weaken economies, and threaten security.
The Director-General of GIABA, Edwin W. Harris Jr, in his welcome remarks, emphasized the urgency of collective efforts to counter financial crimes, which he described as critical to fostering stable and prosperous societies.
He noted that under his leadership, GIABA has restored its global reputation, removed several member states from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, and enhanced compliance with audit recommendations.
“It becomes more pressing for all stakeholders to work together at all levels to fight these crimes and provide the enabling space for governance processes that support peace and prosperity,” Mr. Harris said.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Perpetual O. Dufu reaffirmed the country’s commitment to supporting GIABA and ECOWAS in strengthening financial oversight frameworks.
“Money laundering and related financial crimes are not abstract technical challenges; they are real and have devastating impacts, including weakening public institutions and fueling insecurity across borders,” Ms Dufu said.
On his part, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, ECOWAS Resident Representative to Ghana, stressed the need for political will and innovative strategies to confront illicit financial flows.
He highlighted the increasing convergence between insecurity and financial crimes in West Africa and the need for regional intelligence sharing and technological modernization.
“In an era of rapid globalization and digital financial transactions, these illicit activities threaten the integrity of our financial systems, fund criminal enterprises, and destabilize our region,” Ambassador Gana stated.
