GIABA BUILDS JUDGES’ CAPACITIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME
GIABA BUILDS JUDGES’ CAPACITIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME
The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will hold a four-day regional capacity-building seminar on economic and financial crimes for judges in Dakar from 14 – 17 October 2025.
Recognising the crucial role of judges in combating economic and financial crimes, particularly in the adjudication, freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of crime, GIABA hopes that this seminar will strengthen judges’ expertise in adjudicating ML/TF offences and related crimes, improve technical capacities and practical skills, promote inter-agency cooperation and coordination, and promote awareness of institutional strengths and limitations in the context of AML/CFT. The seminar, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), will serve as a platform for strengthening resilience in ten (10) transition countries that are members of GIABA. These include Burkina Faso, Union of the Comoros, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Experts and participants at the seminar will share ideas through presentations, interactive sessions, group discussions, case studies and sharing of national experiences. The event is expected to see an increase in the number of judges trained and knowledgeable in AML/CFT issues, an increase in the number of ML/TF cases successfully prosecuted, increased capacity among judges to facilitate the effective implementation of AML/CFT measures in the region and globally, and improved coordination and cooperation between judges and law enforcement agencies on ML/TF issues.