The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) organised a high-level seminar for ECOWAS Resident Representatives in Accra on the 17^th and 18^th of July 2025, with the aim of strengthening their understanding of GIABA’s mandate and consolidating their involvement in its implementation within Member States.

The two-day seminar provided an opportunity for rich and instructive exchanges on the regional issues involved in combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. It is part of a drive to strengthen collaboration between ECOWAS bodies and diplomatic missions in the field.

The opening ceremony was chaired by a representative of Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. On this occasion, H.E. Ambassador Mohammed Lawal Ghana, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, welcomed his counterparts, calling for greater political commitment in the face of transnational threats to the stability of the region.

For his part, Mr Albert Boafo, Director General of the Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre, reaffirmed Ghana’s determination to remain at the forefront of the fight against organised financial crime.

In his speech, Mr Edwin W. Harris Jr, Director General of GIABA, praised the significant progress made by the institution in the service of regional financial governance. He urged the Resident Representatives to intensify their lobbying of national authorities in order to advance efforts to prevent and suppress illicit financial flows.

At the end of the meeting, the Resident Representatives expressed their firm commitment to further support GIABA’s mission in their countries of coverage, through proactive diplomacy, ongoing awareness-raising and support for national policies aligned with regional standards.