GIABA Chief Highlights Regional Progress in Combating Financial Crimes

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The Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Edwin W. Harris Jr., has highlighted significant progress made by West African countries in strengthening anti-money laundering systems and combating financial crimes across the region.
Speaking at the opening of the Second Regional Seminar on Preventing Financial Crimes and Enhancing Public Finance Management through Parliamentary Public Accounts Committees in Accra, Mr. Harris said GIABA has made remarkable strides over the past four years in reinforcing regional financial integrity and improving cooperation among ECOWAS member states.
He revealed that the organisation successfully rallied member states and key stakeholders to preserve GIABA’s recognition as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-Style Regional Body for West Africa after it faced the risk of losing that status.
According to him, member states have since demonstrated stronger commitment to implementing international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards, resulting in improved regional performance.
Mr. Harris noted that GIABA has completed the second round of mutual evaluations across member states and has begun the third round of assessments, with Ghana becoming the first country to undergo the new evaluation process, whose outcome is expected to be adopted later this year. Read Also: GITW 2026 Showcases Ghana’s Industrial Investment Ambitions
He further disclosed that nearly all ECOWAS countries previously placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list have successfully exited, while Côte d’Ivoire is expected to complete its removal from the list by October 2026.
The GIABA Director General explained that the regional seminar is intended to strengthen the capacity of Parliamentary Public Accounts Committees by providing them with practical tools and technical expertise to improve oversight, promote accountability and detect financial crimes.
He expressed confidence that closer collaboration among parliamentary committees, supreme audit institutions, financial intelligence units and anti-corruption agencies would enhance transparency, strengthen governance and improve the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows throughout the ECOWAS region. http://www.ghanaweb.com

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