As GIABA Holds 44th Technical Commission And Plenary Meetings This Week
Monrovia, Liberia – The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is this week holing its 44th Technical Commission and Plenary Meetings in Liberia.
The biannual gathering brings together stakeholders and technical experts from GIABA Member States to deliberate on key issues related to the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes in the sub-region.
The meetings aim to strengthen cooperation, harmonize anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures, and promote the effective implementation of international standards, says a press release.
This year’s sessions will focus on Follow-Up Reports (FURs) from the second round of mutual evaluations of Member States, including Mali, Niger, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. The evaluations assess the effectiveness of national AML/CFT systems and help countries address identified gaps to ensure full compliance with global standards.
Discussions will also cover the work of the Working Group on Risks, Trends, and Methods (RTMG) and the Policy Review Group (PRG), with emphasis on updating the typology report on money laundering, terrorist, and proliferation financing risks in Member States. The adoption of the Operational Manual for Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs/CICs) is also on the agenda.
Other highlights include a closed-door Regional Forum of Financial Intelligence Units (FFIUs), a special session led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNCCT), the election of a new bureau for the Technical Commission, and the Director General’s activity report.
The official opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2025, with the President of the Republic of Liberia expected to declare the session open.
The meetings will culminate in the celebration of GIABA’s 25th Anniversary (Silver Jubilee) on November 21, 2025. Established in December 2000 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, GIABA has played a leading role in building strong regional mechanisms to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
Marking this milestone, GIABA will reflect on its achievements, assess its impact on the regional AML/CFT framework, and reaffirm its commitment to tackling emerging financial crime threats in West Africa.