The Côte d’Ivoire is set to host the 45th technical and plenary session of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) from May 18 to 23, 2026, alongside the 31st meeting of its ministerial committee. The opening ceremony took place this Thursday in Cocody, bringing together experts, representatives from ECOWAS member states, financial partners, and international observers.
Co-organized with the Ivorian government, this regional gathering serves as a pivotal platform for evaluating and aligning anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) policies across West Africa. Participants will review progress reports from member states under the second round of mutual evaluations, alongside typology reports from the Risk, Trends, and Methods Working Group (RTMG). Discussions will also cover the activities of the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) Forum and technical assistance mechanisms for member countries.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Budget, the Minister of Construction, Housing, and Urban Planning, Moussa Sanogo, underscored Côte d’Ivoire‘s commitment to strengthening the regional fight against financial crime. “Our nation fully embraces its responsibility and role in West Africa. Under President Alassane Ouattara’s leadership, we have adopted a systematic, determined, and transparent approach,” he stated.
The Ivorian government’s representative highlighted ongoing structural reforms to align the country’s AML/CFT framework with FATF international standards. While progress has been encouraging, he noted the growing sophistication of transnational criminal networks. “No single country can tackle this challenge alone. Success hinges on information sharing, mutual trust, and unwavering political will,” he emphasized, adding that combating financial crime is essential for economic stability, development, and regional peace.
He further stressed that financial system integrity is critical to enhancing West African states‘ economic attractiveness and safeguarding both domestic and foreign investments.
Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, Chair of the GIABA Technical Commission, praised Côte d’Ivoire‘s strides in financial governance and data interoperability for AML/CFT. She highlighted technical advancements among member states, driven by legislative improvements and modernized financial intelligence units.
However, she warned of emerging threats posed by cutting-edge technologies, such as generative AI, deepfakes, and synthetic identities, which criminals exploit to bypass traditional customer due diligence (CDD) checks. “Our detection systems, reporting rules, and investigator training must evolve to counter these new risks,” she urged.
The GIABA chair also emphasized the need for greater transparency around the beneficial owners of legal entities—a key focus of the third round of mutual evaluations. She commended recent progress by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, which have been removed from the FATF grey list, while urging continued technical support for Côte d’Ivoire to expedite its own exit from the list.
The regional meeting is expected to yield actionable recommendations to bolster prevention, detection, and enforcement mechanisms against illicit financial flows in the ECOWAS zone, amid escalating security and technological threats in West Africa.