By Dominic Hlordzi
The Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), an ECOWAS institution, is taking steps to leverage the influence of ECOWAS Resident Representatives in its efforts to combat money laundering, illicit financing, and terrorism financing in West Africa.
GIABA believes the ECOWAS Resident Representatives are not only the face of ECOWAS in their countries but also key actors in the promotion of good governance, peace, and financial integrity in the subregion. To this end, they must play a frontal role in the work of GIABA.
The Director-General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering, Mr. Edwin Harris Junior, highlighted these points at the opening session of the GIABA ECOWAS Resident Representatives Seminar in Accra.
The seminar focused on the role of ECOWAS Resident Representatives in fostering Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Proliferation Financing compliance in ECOWAS member states under the auspices of GIABA.
Mr. Harris Junior said transnational crimes, including money laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling, continue to impact negatively on the governance process in the region, distort microeconomics, and undermine needed investment.
He added that these crimes continue to affect both regional and national security, contributing to mass youth unemployment in member states.
He stated that it is an undeniable fact that the pressure from transnational crimes continues to hinder the delivery of basic social services critical to more functional and wholesome states. Hence, it becomes even more pressing for all stakeholders to work together at all levels to jointly fight transnational crimes by providing the enabling space in governance processes that support a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous society for current populations and posterity.
The Director-General told the gathering that in 2022, when the current management took over affairs, GIABA was in distress.
He explained that there were serious challenges, ranging from GIABA being placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Effectiveness Improvement Programme because of poor quality of work, low reputation in the global network, low staff morale and team spirit, and the placement of four member states on the FATF grey list whose action plans could not be completed on time.
Mr. Harris Junior pointed out that through hard work, in October 2023, member countries including Senegal and Mali were removed from the FATF Effectiveness Improvement Programme. Burkina Faso and Nigeria, still on the FATF grey list, will undergo an on-site visit in August 2025 and could potentially be removed in October this year.
These and many other critical successes were chalked up during his leadership, including the recruitment of key staff members from most ECOWAS member states for the secretariat.
A Coordinating Director at Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Perpetual Dufu, in her address, said money laundering and related financial crimes are not only abstract technical challenges but have devastating impacts, weakening public institutions, distorting economies, and fuelling insecurity across borders.
“The West African subregion is already contending with economic vulnerabilities and transnational threats and cannot afford the cost of inaction,” she warned.
She said Ghana remains committed to upholding the standards set by GIABA, explaining that through the work of Ghana’s Financial Intelligence Centre and key partner institutions, the country has made notable progress in aligning national frameworks with global Anti-Money Laundering / Countering the Financing of Terrorism norms.
Ambassador Dufu commended GIABA for its continued efforts at curbing money laundering and related crimes in the subregion.
The CEO of the Financial Intelligence Centre and GIABA National Correspondent in Ghana, Alfred Kojo Boafo, said Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) compliance transcends mere technical obligations or the pursuit of international recognition.
“At its core, it is about preserving the integrity of our economies, shielding financial systems from exploitation, and preventing the flow of illicit funds that may support terrorism, organized crime, or erode the foundations of the rule of law.”
He pointed out that the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, to which all ECOWAS member states are firmly committed, demands not only technical competence but also unwavering political commitment.
Mr. Boafo urged the ECOWAS Resident Representatives to galvanize the political will and foster sustained national ownership of the AML/CFT/CPF agenda, encouraging them to reflect on how to leverage their strategic influence to promote high-level political commitment in support of AML/CFT/CPF reforms.
Participants and experts at the seminar will be deliberating and sharing knowledge on how best they can partner and leverage the influence of the ECOWAS Resident Representatives in their member states to fight transnational crimes in the subregion.
