GIABA HOSTS 2026 WEST AFRICAN COMPLIANCE SUMMIT

The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will from 29 June to 2 July 2026 hold a Regional Compliance Summit in Saly, Senegal. The 2026 edition of the Summit under the theme “Transforming Compliance: Integrating government, Enterprise risk management and AML/CFT/CPF in the Age of Technology” will provide a platform for participants to share their experiences in identifying key challenges that impede the effective implementation of AML/CFT/PF measures and good practices that will facilitate compliance by reporting entities. Stakeholders will also have an opportunity to promote cooperation, coordination and engagement between the public and private sectors to address emerging ML/TF risks and implement AML/CFT/FP measures effectively. This annual meeting of the Compliance Officers Forum of GIABA Member States will be held on the sidelines of the Summit, on 2 July 2026.

The rapid digitisation, financial innovation, and evolving regulatory requirements have fundamentally transformed the compliance landscape. Thus, the traditional siloed approaches to governance, enterprise risk management (ERM), and AML/CFT/PF are no longer effective in addressing the interconnected risks arising from digital finance, cross-border activities, and sophisticated criminal schemes. Hence the relevance of the theme of this edition, “Transforming Compliance: Integrating Governance, Enterprise Risk Management and AML/CFT/PF in the Age of Technology”. Reporting entities and regulatory authorities are therefore encouraged to manage governance, enterprise-wide risks, and AML/CFT/PF obligations in an integrated manner and through the use of technology.

The 2026 edition of the West African Compliance Summit is targeted at compliance officers and/or senior AML/CFT/CPF managers in financial institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), heads of National Financial Intelligence Units (NFIUs) and senior officials of regulatory and supervisory authorities in the region.

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

 

Agency	ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECDG)
Selection method:	Selection of an individual consultant
Selection reference:	CCDG/BUDGET/2026/SCI/08
Object :	Selection of an Anglophone Program Assistant for the CCDG.
Remuneration	$12,000 USD per year.
Publication date:	June 10, 2026.
Deadline:	July 2, 2026

 

June 2026

 

 

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Agency	ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECDG)
Selection method:	Selection of an individual consultant
Selection reference:	CCDG/BUDGET/2026/SCI/09
Object :	Selection of an Administrative and Finance Assistant for the CCDG
Remuneration	$12,000 USD per year.
Publication date:	June 10, 2026
Deadline:	July 2, 2026

 

 

 

June 2026

 

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Agency	ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECDG)
Selection method:	Selection of an individual consultant
Selection reference:	CCDG/BUDGET/2026/SCI/07
Object :	Selection of an IT Assistant on behalf of the CCDG.
Remuneration	$12,000 USD per year.
Publication date:	June 10, 2026
Deadline:	July 2, 2026

 

June 2026

Ministers and dignitaries attending the opening ceremony of the 31st Meeting of the GIABA Ministerial Committee, held on 23 May 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

 

The 45th Meeting of the Technical Commission/Plenary, Working Groups, and the 31st Ministerial Committee Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) were held in hybrid format from 21 to 23 May 2026 at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, with the participation of Member States, regional and international institutions, as well as technical and financial partners.

The proceedings of the 45th GIABA Technical Commission/Plenary and Working Groups Meetings were officially opened by Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of GIABA, in the prestigious Salle des Fêtes of the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire. This important regional gathering brought together the Co-Chairs of the Evaluation and Compliance Group (ECG), delegations from Member States, experts, and technical partners working to combat illicit financial flows across West Africa. On the sidelines of the meetings, the GIABA Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FFIU) convened in a closed-door session on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. The Forum brought together Heads of FIUs from Member States to deliberate on issues relating to enhanced regional cooperation, financial intelligence sharing, and the strengthening of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing mechanisms within the ECOWAS space. The Forum elected Mr. Mouhamadou Harouna, President of the  Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Niger, as the new Chairperson of the GIABA FIUs Forum for a one-year renewable term. He succeeds Mr. Idrissa Mahamar Haidara, President of the CENTIF of Mali.

The official opening ceremony of the 45th Technical Commission/Plenary Meeting, held on 21 May 2026, featured several high-level addresses, including the welcome remarks delivered by General Idrissa Touré, President of the National Financial Intelligence Unit of Côte d’Ivoire (CENTIF-Côte d’Ivoire) and GIABA National Correspondent for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire; the goodwill message by Mr. Kouao Guy Valérie, Second Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Cocody, representing the Mayor of Cocody; the address by Mr. David Borbor, Director-General of the Financial Intelligence Agency of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the GIABA Technical Commission; the introductory remarks by Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of GIABA; the congratulatory message by Mr. André Kanga, Permanent Secretary of the Action Group against Money Laundering in Central Africa (GABAC); the solidarity message from H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, delivered by his representative, H.E. Ms. Fatmah Diarré, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire; as well as the opening address by Mr. Adama Coulibaly, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, represented by Mr. Moussa Sanogo, Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning.

In his remarks, the Director General of GIABA, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., expressed profound appreciation to the Ivorian authorities, CENTIF-Côte d’Ivoire, Member States, and partners for their sustained support to GIABA. Reflecting on the achievements recorded during his tenure, including the admission of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as full members of GIABA, the commencement of the third round of mutual evaluations, and the restoration of GIABA’s credibility within the FATF Global Network, he underscored that the institution has regained a strengthened strategic position in the regional fight against financial crimes. As his mandate draws to a close on 30 July 2026, he paid tribute to the dedication of the GIABA Secretariat staff, technical and financial partners, and Member States. In their respective statements, the various dignitaries commended the progress made by Member States in implementing Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism, and Counter Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures. They further underscored the importance of strengthened regional cooperation, robust compliance mechanisms, and sustained efforts to address emerging threats associated with illicit financial flows, virtual assets, terrorist financing, and transnational organized crime.

Participants also reviewed the work of the Risk, Trends and Methods Group (RTMG/PRG), emerging AML/CFT issues, and the outcomes of the FATF Plenary and Working Group meetings held in February 2026. Particular attention was devoted to preparations for the third round of mutual evaluations, which has already commenced; to issues relating to the effectiveness of national AML/CFT systems; and to enhancing cooperation among Member States.

The opening ceremony of the 31st GIABA Ministerial Committee (GMC) Meeting, held on 23 May 2026 at Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan, also featured several high-level interventions, notably by Mr. Adama Coulibaly, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire; Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of GIABA; Mr. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangoura, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the GIABA Ministerial Committee; Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., Senator of the Republic of Liberia; the solidarity message of H.E. Ms. Fatmah Esther Diarré, Acting ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, representing the President of the ECOWAS Commission; as well as the opening address delivered by H.E. Mr. Robert Beugré Mambé, Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, representing H.E. Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

In their statements, the authorities reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening regional mechanisms for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, while emphasizing the need for coordinated regional responses to the security, economic, and technological challenges facing West Africa.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, for his part, highlighted GIABA’s strategic role in safeguarding the integrity of regional financial systems and underscored the reforms undertaken by Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen its national AML/CFT/CPF framework, particularly within the context of its process toward exiting the FATF Grey List.

The Ministerial Committee also endorsed the reports of the 44th and 45th GIABA Technical Commission/Plenary Meetings, as well as amendments to the second and third round mutual evaluation processes and procedures aimed at enhancing the confidentiality of evaluation documents, improving the effectiveness of follow-up mechanisms, and further aligning GIABA procedures with revised FATF Standards.

At the conclusion of the meetings, participants renewed their collective commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, consolidating national AML/CFT frameworks, and improving the effectiveness of compliance mechanisms in line with FATF International Standards.

 

Done in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, on 23 May 2026.

 

…/…

The Inter-Government Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), in collaboration with the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, will hold its 45^th Technical Commission /Plenary and 31^st GIABA Ministerial Committee meetings from the 18^th to the 23^rd May 2026 at Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

 

The Plenary Meeting is scheduled to be declared opened by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Budget of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Adama Coulibaly on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 10:00 am. Other dignitaries, including the DG of GIABA, are expected to address the Plenary's Opening Session.

The Plenary Meeting is an assembly of experts, including representatives of member States, development partners and other organizations with observer status in GIABA. A key element during the plenary meeting is the consideration of the follow-up report of some member states under the Second Round of Mutual Evaluation. Other meetings in the margin of the Plenary are the consideration of the reports of Risks, Trends and Methods Group (RTMG)-typologies, the Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FFIU) in GIABA member States and the Technical Assistance Group.

The event offers an opportunity for member States to come together to share their experiences regarding the challenges they face in implementing effective AML/CFT measures. The Plenary meeting is GIABA’s statutory meeting, bringing in discussion around a safe economic system for the region, and thus an integral part of GIABA’s efforts to foster regional integration in the ECOWAS region.

The 31^st GIABA Ministerial Committee (GMC), which will meet on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, is the highest decision-making organ of GIABA; it comprises the Ministers of Finance, Justice, and Security/Interior of all member States. The GMC will consider and adopt the Director General’s Summary Activity Report, Report of the GIABA 44th Technical Commission/Plenary Meetings, amongst other reports.

GIABA, as a specialised ECOWAS institution as well as a FATF-Styled Regional Body (FSRB), holds twice a year technical commission/plenary meetings for representatives of member States to discuss several pertinent issues that require a concerted and harmonised approach in addressing them.

 

.../...

 

NOTICE OF EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

 

 

Selection reference:	GIABA/BUDGET/2026/SCI/10
Subject:	Selection of a protocol assistant on behalf of GIABA.
Remuneration:	$12,000 per year.
Publication date:	April 30, 2026
Deadline:	May 25, 2026

 

NOTICE OF CONTRACT AWARD FOR ANNUAL PROJECT AUDITS

NO	POSITION	GRADE	Email Address
1	Information Officer (Outreach)	P3/P4	infout26@courtecowas.org
2	Translator French * 2	P4	trans26fr@courtecowas.org
3	Translator English	P4	trans26en@curtecowas.org
4	Interpreter (French)*2	P5	inter26fr@courtecowas.org
5	Revisor Portuguese	P5	revis26pt@courtecowas.org
6	Senior Research Officer	P4	seresof26@courtecowas.org
7	Accountant Treasury	P3/P4	acctree26@courtecowas.org
8	Documentalist /Archivist	P3/P4	docarc26@courtecowas.org
9	Senior Court Reporter (Portuguese)	P3/P4	senrept26pt@courtecowas.org
10	Research Officer	P2/P3	resoff26@courtecowas.org
11	Legal Officer	P2/P3	legoff26@courtecowas.org
12	Proofreader (French)	P1/P2	prfread26@courtecowas.org
13	Court Reporter (Portuguese)	P2/P3	creport26pt@courtecowas.org
14	Information Officer (New Media)	P2/P3	infonm26@courtecowas.org

Institution	INTERGOVERNMENTAL ACTION GROUP AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING IN WEST AFRICA
Selection Method:	Selection of Individual Consultant
Selection reference:	GIABA/BUDGET/2026/SCI/05
Subject:	Selection of an Administrative Assistant for the Abidjan Information Center.
Location:	Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire.
Remuneration:	$12,000 per year.
Publication date:	February 16, 2026
Deadline:	09 March 2026

 

·        Deadline for receipt of applications: 09 March 2026 at 17:00 GMT.

·        Applications will be submitted at: consultants@giaba.org.  cc mnnakorba@giaba.org   and dnunez@giaba.org.

·        Application format: the application must be in the form of a single PDF file

·        Specify in the subject line: "SCI05- Administrative Assistant"

Institution	INTERGOVERNMENTAL ACTION GROUP AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING IN WEST AFRICA
Selection Method:	Selection of Individual Consultant
Selection reference:	GIABA/BUDGET/2026/SCI/06
Subject:	Selection of an IT Assistant for the Abidjan Information Centre.
Location:	Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire.
Remuneration:	USD 12,000 per year.
Publication date:	February 16, 2026
Deadline:	09 March 2026

·        Deadline for receipt of applications: 09 March 2026 at 17:00 GMT.

·        Submission links: Applications will be submitted at:  consultants@giaba.org. cc mnnakorba@giaba.org  and dnunez@giaba.org

·        Application format: the application must be in the form of a single PDF file

·        Specify in the subject line: "SCI06- GIABA IT Assistant"

GIABA is looking to engage the services of a qualified individual consultant to design, develop, and implement an internal SharePoint-based intranet system leveraging Microsoft 365 technologies.

GIABA invites interested Radio and Television stations of the following States: Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo to express their interest in providing the services described above.

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has commenced the 3^rd round of mutual evaluation of its member States with the on-site visit of the Republic of Ghana from  January 26 to February 6, 2026. Ghana is the first country to be evaluated in the 3^rd round of GIABA mutual evaluation calendar.

GIABA mutual evaluations are in-depth country reports analysing the implementation and effectiveness of measures to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. The reports are peer reviews, where members from different countries assess another country. Mutual evaluations provide an in-depth description and analysis of a country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing system, as well as focused recommendations to further strengthen its systems.

GIABA conducts peer reviews of each member on an ongoing basis to assess levels of implementation of the FATF Recommendations, providing an in-depth description and analysis of each country’s system for preventing criminal abuse of the financial system. During a mutual evaluation, the assessed country must demonstrate that it has an effective framework to protect the financial system from abuse.

Dignitaries and top government officials present during the opening ceremony include Ghana’s Deputy Finance Minister, Hon Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Governor, Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, Director-General of GIABA, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., National Security Coordinator, COP Osman Abdul Razak, CEO, FIC, Mr. Albert Kwadwo Twum Boafo, representative from Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  Coordinating Director for Multilateral and International Organisations, Ambassador Francis Danti Kotia.

The closing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, ⁠CEO of the Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre, Mr. Albert Kwadwo Twum Boafo, 2nd Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana, Madam Matilda Asante, Deputy Coordinator, National Security Council Secretariat, Mrs. Elizabeth Yankah, and 2nd Deputy Commissioner, Mensah Thompson.

GIABA continues to make significant progress in its work as it relates to its compliance mandate. The conclusion of the on-site is a significant milestone in the chain of the Mutual Evaluation exercise. GIABA congratulates Ghana for submitting to the process.

 

GIABA PROCUREMENT PLAN FOR THE YEAR 2026

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, was created on 28^th May 1975 and currently comprises 12 member-states namely: Benin, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The sub-regional body was created out of a desire to improve the lives of the people through the promotion of cooperation and development in all areas of economic activity: intra-regional trade, free movement of persons, goods and services, and the harmonization of sectoral policies. The ultimate aim is the constitution of a West African Common Market and a Customs and Monetary Union.

To effectively execute its programs towards the realization of its objectives, ECOWAS created various Institutions and specialized Agencies among which the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

GIABA is currently recruiting qualified and capable nationals of ECOWAS Member States who are below the age of 45 years into the positions advertised in the table below.

Candidates wishing to be considered for a post should download the JOB APPLICATION FORM, (Press button ctrl & clik)  fill it and send it as an attachment to the corresponding email address  with their CVs, diplomas/certificates and motivation letter.

Special Notice:

1.      Only applications sent through the indicated addresses in the advertisement will be considered.

2.      Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interviews.

3.      Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

 

N°	Position	Grade	Job Code	Directorate	Email address	Closing date	Duty station
1	INFORMATION MANAGER	P3/P4	20001172	Director General Office	g1172infman@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Abidjan – Côte d’Ivoire
2	Protocol Assistant	G4/G5/G6	20003315		g3315proass@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Abidjan – Côte d’Ivoire
3	INTERPRETER (French booth)	P3/P4	20001168	DIRECTORATE ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE	g1168intfr@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal
4	Administrative Officer	P3/P4	20001144		g1144adminoff@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal
5	HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT	G4/G5/G6	20001157		g1157hra@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal
6	Non-Financial Institutions Officer	P1/P2/P3	20003958	DIRECTORATE EVALUATION & COMPLIANCE/	g3958nonfinoff@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal
7	TYPOLOGIES OFFICER	P3/P4	20003360	DIRECTORATE POLICY & RESEARCH	g3360typoff@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal
8	Research, Documentation & Publication Assistant	G4/G5/G6	20001141		g1141resdocass@giaba.org	28/02/2026	Dakar - Senegal

 

Institution	Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA)
Selection Method:	Selection of Individual Consultant
Selection reference:	GIABA/BUDGET/2025/SCI/01
Subject:	Selection of a national individual consultant for the mid-term evaluation of GIABA's Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Publication date:	January 18, 2026
Deadline:	02 February 2026

ECOWAS AUTHORITY ADMITS BURKINA FASO, MALI AND NIGER AS NON-ECOWAS MEMBERS OF GIABA

The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has granted the admission of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as non-ECOWAS members of GIABA. The admission of the three countries is dependent on their strong political commitment to fully implement obligations required of GIABA members, including addressing deficiencies in their Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism/Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) frameworks, and cooperating and complying with all obligations related to Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Countering Proliferation Financing as provided for under the GIABA Statute.

This was part of decisions reached at the end of the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority held on 14 December 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, under the chairmanship of H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chair of the Authority.

It would be recalled that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formally completed their withdrawal from the ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after they have formed a new confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Previously, the GIABA Ministerial Committee (GMC) had recommended the applications of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger for admission as non-ECOWAS members of GIABA during its 2nd Extraordinary session held on July 19, 2025, in Accra, Ghana.

The GIABA establishment statute permits it to accept non-ECOWAS member States as members, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. With the new admissions, GIABA now has five non-ECOWAS countries in addition to Sao Tome and Principe and the Union of Comoros.

GIABA HOLDS ITS 44^TH TECHNICAL COMMISSION AND PLENARY MEETINGS IN MONROVIA

The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will hold its 44th Technical Commission and Plenary meetings from November 17 to 21, 2025, in Monrovia, Liberia.

Meeting twice a year, this major gathering of stakeholders in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) aims to promote discussions among technical experts from Member States (MS) on the threats and challenges relating to the fight against economic and financial crimes in the sub-region. It also allows MS to address relevant issues that require a concerted and harmonised approach to the effective implementation of AML/CFT measures. Finally, as a platform for sharing experiences, the plenary sessions also provide opportunities to establish partnerships among experts, MS representatives, technical partners, and observers in the context of AML/CFT.

In Monrovia, discussions will focus on the Follow-Up Reports (FURs) of the second round of mutual evaluations of Member States, including Mali, Niger, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. The Mutual Evaluation and Monitoring Processes and Procedures aim to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the laws, regulations, or other measures required by the core criteria. These mutual evaluations also make it possible to verify whether all necessary measures have been fully and adequately implemented. They also aim to help member states address gaps identified in their AML/CFT systems, in order to ensure compliance with international standards.

In Monrovia, there will also be discussions on the meeting of the Working Group on Risks, Trends and Methods (RTMG) and the Policy Review Group (PRG). The focus will be on updating the report on the typology of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing (ML/TF/PF) risks related to trade in GIABA member states, as well as on adopting the Operational Manual for Member States' FIUs/CICs.

Also, on the agenda for the 44th Technical Commission and Plenary Meeting, there is the closed-door Regional Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FFIUs), a special session led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), the election of the bureau of the presidency of the Technical Commission, the Director General's summary activity report, etc. The opening ceremony of the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 20^th November 2025. The President of the Republic of Liberia is invited to declare the session opened.  

The community institution's silver jubilee (25^th Anniversary) will be celebrated in Monrovia on 21^st November 2025. Created by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in December 2000 as West Africa's response to the harmful effects of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF), GIABA has, since its creation, made significant progress in various aspects relating to mechanisms for combating economic and financial crimes in its member states.

Celebrating this milestone means celebrating its successes and achievements. It also means identifying its mission among the contemporary ML/TF/PF challenges facing the sub-region; it means assessing its impact in promoting a robust AML/CFT/PF mechanism in West Africa; it means examining its future roles in the global AML/CFT/PF ecosystem; and finally, it means motivating staff and other stakeholders in their efforts to combat economic and financial crime.

TORONTO, November 7, 2025 - The Toronto Centre for Global Leadership in Financial Supervision (Toronto Centre) and the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) are pleased to announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to deepen collaboration in combatting of money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).

Money laundering and terrorist financing pose serious threats to financial (and general) stability and integrity of a country. They can lead to banking crises, governance weaknesses, and wider economic repercussions. This MOU outlines the efforts that Toronto Centre and GIABA are taking to combat these offenses, including the delivery of programs for financial supervisors in GIABA member jurisdictions that will enhance their AML/CFT toolkits, in accordance with the standards of the Financial Action Task Force.

Babak Abbaszadeh, President and CEO, Toronto Centre, stated:

“The MOU with GIABA highlights our shared commitment to strengthening the global response to money laundering and the financing of terrorism. By investing in training and capacity building, we are empowering financial supervisors to lead with integrity and safeguard the resilience of the financial system. We are honoured to partner with GIABA.”

Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General, GIABA, also shared his thoughts on the MOU:

“This MOU represents a strategic milestone in our efforts to strengthen AML/CFT frameworks across West Africa. By combining our regional expertise with Toronto Centre’s global leadership in financial supervision, we are enhancing the capacity of our member States to safeguard financial integrity and promote sustainable development.”

Together, Toronto Centre and GIABA are committed to furthering AML/CFT measures in West Africa, ensuring the financial stability of vulnerable populations in the region.

To learn more about the missions and initiatives of Toronto Centre and GIABA, please visit our respective websites as follows:

 

Toronto Centre - https://torontocentre.org/

GIABA - https://www.giaba.org/