GIABA organizes open house forum

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has organized a day-long open house forum on “The Role of Youth in Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) in West Africa” on Thursday, 10th March 2011. Pic: Dr. Abdullahi Shehu, Director General of GIABA Held in Accra, Ghana, the event which was the fourth edition in the series of GIABA Open House Forum, serves as a platform to educate stakeholders from ECOWAS member States on the deleterious effects and debilitating impact of money laundering and financing of terrorism on peace, security and sustainable development in West Africa. The Open House is one of the awareness and advocacy strategy adopted by GIABA to sensitise stakeholders particularly the youths on the threats of money laundering and financing of terrorism and to enable them to advocate for strong AML/CFT measures in the region. GIABA is a specialized ECOWAS institution as well as FATF- Style Regional Body established in the year 2000 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS with the mandate to protect the national economies and the financial systems of member States from the laundering of proceeds of crimes in particular money laundering and terrorist financing. As part of its sustained efforts to raise awareness against the twin scourges of ML/TF in the region, GIABA in its 2011-2014 Strategic Plan considered the promotion of strategic partnerships with the civil society and development partners of utmost importance especially in the dawn of regional integration with its attendance challenges including curbing transnational organized crimes. About 100 participants comprises students of tertiary institutions, civil society organizations and the media including top government officials and regulatory agencies involved in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing are attended the event. The event was declared open by the Honourable Minster of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Ghana, while the Director General of GIABA, Dr Abdullahi Shehu and GIABA National Correspondent of Ghana, Mr Samuel T. Essel delivered a keynote address and welcoming remark respectively. Highlight at the occasion were road show procession and presentation of lectures by GIABA faculty and regional expert on anti-money laundering and combating of terrorism financing (AML/CFT) regime.