Author: GIABA Journalists Network, Ghana Chapter
The Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is set to convene its Annual Briefing Session for Ambassadors and Technical and Financial Partners, alongside its Annual Press Conference and Public Presentation of the 2025 Annual Report, in Dakar, Senegal, from July 6 to 7, 2026.
The high-level two-day event, which will take place at the Noom Hotel Dakar Sea Plaza, is expected to bring together ambassadors from ECOWAS Member States, government officials, development partners, financial sector stakeholders, anti-money laundering experts, journalists, and representatives of international organisations.
Organised under the auspices of GIABA, a specialized institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the gathering forms part of the institution’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation against money laundering, terrorist financing, and related financial crimes.
Established in 2000, GIABA has played a leading role in coordinating regional initiatives aimed at safeguarding the financial systems of West African countries from abuse by criminal and terrorist networks.
Over the years, the institution has implemented numerous awareness campaigns, capacity-building programmes, mutual evaluation exercises, and policy interventions designed to improve compliance with international Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) standards.
According to the programme, the Annual Briefing Session for Ambassadors and Technical and Financial Partners will take place on July 6 and serve as a strategic platform for dialogue and engagement between GIABA, ECOWAS ambassadors, and development partners.
The session will provide an opportunity for GIABA to present its major achievements over the past year, outline recent developments in the AML/CFT landscape, and share its strategic priorities for the years ahead.
Participants are also expected to review ongoing programmes and discuss areas requiring enhanced support, collaboration, and technical assistance to strengthen the region’s response to emerging financial crime threats.
The opening session will feature a welcome address by Mr. Cheikh Mohamadou Bamba Siby, President of CENTIF and National Correspondent of GIABA in Senegal.
The Dean of ECOWAS Ambassadors will also deliver remarks, while H.E. Zelma Yollande Nobre Fassinou, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Senegal, is expected to address participants on the importance of regional solidarity in combating illicit financial flows.
A keynote address will be delivered by the Director General of GIABA, Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., who is expected to outline the institution’s vision, achievements, and future priorities in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing across West Africa.
The second day of the event, scheduled for July 7, will focus on the annual press conference and the public presentation of GIABA’s 2025 Annual Report.
The report is expected to provide a comprehensive overview of the institution’s activities, accomplishments, and interventions undertaken during the year under review.
It will also assess progress made by ECOWAS Member States in implementing international AML/CFT standards and strengthening their legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks.
Stakeholders attending the public presentation will gain insight into emerging trends in financial crime, regional vulnerabilities, and measures being adopted to mitigate associated risks.
The annual report is further expected to highlight challenges confronting countries in the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures, including resource constraints, technological developments, and evolving criminal methodologies.
GIABA believes that sustained collaboration among governments, regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, civil society organisations, and the media remains essential to achieving meaningful progress in the fight against financial crime.
The institution has consistently emphasized the critical role of the media in raising awareness, promoting public understanding, and supporting transparency and accountability in AML/CFT efforts across the region.
By bringing together diplomats, development partners, policymakers, experts, and journalists, the Dakar meetings are expected to enhance the visibility of GIABA’s work and foster stronger stakeholder commitment to tackling money laundering and terrorist financing.
As West Africa continues to confront increasingly sophisticated financial crime threats, the July 2026 meetings are expected to reaffirm the region’s collective determination to strengthen financial integrity, protect economic stability, and advance regional security through coordinated action and international cooperation.
