The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has held the 6th edition of the Regional Sensitisation Workshop on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Requirements for Civil Society Organisations in Praia, Republic of Cabo Verde.
The workshop which followed earlier editions in Dakar (2012), Abidjan (2014), Lagos (2015), Cotonou (2016) and Banjul (2017) held at the Hotel Oasis Atlantico Praimar from September 5 to September 7, 2018.
Topics of discussion at the event included Overview of AML/CFT measures and efforts of GIABA as a regional institution; place and role of CSOs in AML/CFT sensitization, advocacy and mobilization; and Networking Strategies among Civil Society Organisations, among other topics.
In his address, Director General of GIABA, Justice Kimelabalou Aba pointed out the need for civil society organisations to collaborate with national AML/CFT institutions, GIABA and other civil society organisations in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.
He said that the expectation of GIABA at the end of the workshop was to find “an unfailing support to GIABA’s regional initiatives for the setting up of robust and effective AML / CFT systems in line with international standards and norms in GIABA Member States.”
According to him, such a situation would ensure “a more conducive environment for investment, job creation and wealth for which youth will be the greatest beneficiary.”
He noted that the effective and efficient implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-financing measures and mechanisms can also help to limit, if not eliminate, the drama of migration to the West, where young people are unfortunately the biggest victims.
He therefore challenged CSOs to join GIABA in proposing advocacy actions for the effective and efficient implementation of legislative and regulatory measures within Member States.
Forty-nine participants from the fifteen (15) ECOWAS member States and an international NGO, the Transparency International attended the programme.
