GIABA members renew anti-money laundering commitment
The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) successfully concluded its 45th Technical Commission/Plenary and Working Group Meetings, alongside the 31st Ministerial Committee Meeting, held from 21 to 23 May 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The high-level meetings took place in a hybrid format at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire and brought together […]
The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) successfully concluded its 45th Technical Commission/Plenary and Working Group Meetings, alongside the 31st Ministerial Committee Meeting, held from 21 to 23 May 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The high-level meetings took place in a hybrid format at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire and brought together representatives from Member States, regional and international organizations, as well as technical and financial partners committed to combating financial crimes in West Africa.
The proceedings commenced with the official opening of the 45th Technical Commission/Plenary and Working Group Meetings by the Director General of GIABA, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr. The event attracted senior officials, anti-money laundering experts, delegates from Member States, and representatives of partner institutions working toward strengthening regional mechanisms against illicit financial flows.
Ahead of the plenary sessions, the GIABA Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FFIU) convened a closed-door meeting on 20 May 2026. The forum brought together heads of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) from across the ECOWAS region to discuss enhanced cooperation, intelligence sharing, and strategies for improving anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks. During the session, Mr. Mouhamadou Harouna, President of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Niger, was elected Chairperson of the GIABA FIUs Forum for a renewable one-year term. He succeeds Mr. Idrissa Mahamar Haidara of Mali’s CENTIF.
The opening ceremony of the Technical Commission Meeting featured several keynote addresses from regional leaders and dignitaries. Among the speakers were General Idrissa Touré, President of CENTIF-Côte d’Ivoire and GIABA National Correspondent for Côte d’Ivoire; Mr. Kouao Guy Valérie, representing the Mayor of Cocody; Mr. David Borbor, Director-General of the Financial Intelligence Agency of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the GIABA Technical Commission; and Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of GIABA.
Additional messages of solidarity and support were delivered by Mr. André Kanga, Permanent Secretary of the Action Group against Money Laundering in Central Africa (GABAC), as well as representatives of the ECOWAS Commission. The Government of Côte d’Ivoire was represented by Mr. Moussa Sanogo, Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning, standing in for the Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, Mr. Adama Coulibaly.
In his remarks, Mr. Harris expressed appreciation to the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, Member States, technical partners, and GIABA stakeholders for their continuous support throughout his tenure. He reflected on several milestones achieved under his leadership, including the integration of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as full members of GIABA, the launch of the third round of mutual evaluations, and the restoration of GIABA’s credibility within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Global Network.
As his tenure comes to an end on 30 July 2026, the Director General commended the commitment and professionalism of the GIABA Secretariat staff and partner institutions in advancing the organization’s mandate. He noted that GIABA has regained a stronger strategic position in the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and related financial crimes within the region.
Participants at the meetings reviewed progress made by Member States in implementing Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism, and Counter Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures. Discussions also focused on emerging threats linked to illicit financial flows, virtual assets, terrorist financing, and transnational organized crime.
The meetings further examined reports from the Risk, Trends and Methods Group (RTMG/PRG), developments from the FATF Plenary and Working Group Meetings held in February 2026, and preparations for the ongoing third round of mutual evaluations. Delegates emphasized the importance of strengthening the effectiveness of national AML/CFT systems and improving regional cooperation among Member States.
On 23 May 2026, the 31st GIABA Ministerial Committee Meeting was officially opened with participation from ministers, lawmakers, ECOWAS representatives, and senior government officials. Notable addresses were delivered by Mr. Adama Coulibaly, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget of Côte d’Ivoire; Mr. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangoura, Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the GIABA Ministerial Committee; and Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., Senator of Liberia.
The opening ceremony also featured remarks from representatives of the ECOWAS Commission and an address by the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, H.E. Mr. Robert Beugré Mambé, representing President Alassane Ouattara.
In their statements, regional leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening mechanisms for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing across West Africa. They emphasized the importance of coordinated regional responses to growing economic, technological, and security challenges.
The Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire highlighted GIABA’s critical role in protecting the integrity of the region’s financial systems and outlined reforms undertaken by Côte d’Ivoire to improve its national AML/CFT framework, particularly as part of efforts to exit the FATF Grey List.
During the meeting, the Ministerial Committee endorsed reports from the 44th and 45th Technical Commission Meetings and approved amendments to the second and third round mutual evaluation procedures. These reforms are intended to strengthen confidentiality measures, improve follow-up mechanisms, and ensure greater alignment with revised FATF standards.
At the close of the meetings, participants renewed their commitment to enhancing regional cooperation, strengthening national compliance systems, and improving the effectiveness of AML/CFT frameworks in accordance with international standards.