The Côte d’Ivoire is set to host the 45th technical plenary session of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), alongside the 31st ministerial committee meeting, from May 18 to 23, 2026. The opening ceremony took place this Thursday in Cocody, bringing together experts, representatives from ECOWAS member states, technical and financial partners, and international observers.
Co-hosted with the Ivorian government, this regional gathering serves as a key platform for assessing and coordinating anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) policies across West Africa.
During the plenary, participants will review follow-up reports on several member states as part of the second round of mutual evaluations. Discussions will also cover typology reports from the Risk, Trends and Methods Working Group (RTMG), activities of the Financial Intelligence Units Forum (FIUF), and technical assistance mechanisms for member countries.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, Moussa Sanogo, Minister of Construction, Housing and Urban Planning, reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to strengthening the regional framework against financial crime.
”Côte d’Ivoire is fully aware of its responsibility and role in the subregion. Under President Alassane Ouattara’s leadership, our country has chosen to act with method, determination and transparency,” he stated.
The Ivorian government representative highlighted ongoing structural reforms to align the national system with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international standards. He noted encouraging progress despite the rapid evolution of transnational criminal networks.
He emphasized the need for stronger subregional cooperation to tackle emerging forms of financial crime. ”No country can succeed alone. Our effectiveness depends on information sharing, mutual trust and sustained political will,” he argued, adding that fighting money laundering is ”also a fight for development, economic stability and peace.”
The minister also stressed that cleaning up financial systems is essential to boost economic attractiveness in West African states and secure both national and international investments.
Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, Chair of GIABA’s Technical Commission, praised Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts in financial governance and interoperability of AML/CFT data. She noted significant technical progress in several member states, driven by legislative improvements and modernization of Financial Intelligence Units.
However, she warned participants about new challenges posed by emerging technologies, such as generative AI, deepfakes and synthetic identities, which criminals use to bypass traditional customer due diligence (CDD) procedures.
”Our detection systems, reporting rules and investigator training must adapt to these evolving threats,” she urged.
The Technical Commission Chair also emphasized the need to enhance transparency around beneficial ownership of legal entities—a key focus of GIABA’s third round of mutual evaluations. She commended recent progress by Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, which were removed from the FATF’s grey list, while encouraging continued technical support for Côte d’Ivoire to facilitate its swift exit from the list.
This regional meeting is expected to yield actionable recommendations to strengthen mechanisms for preventing, detecting and combating illicit financial flows within the ECOWAS space, amid rising security and technological threats in West Africa.
