GIABA Holds AML/CFT Seminar For Journalists

The Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA ) Dr. Abdullahi Shehu has underscored the important role of the media in the fight against Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism(AML/CFT) in the West African Sub-region. Dr. Shehu said, “The media plays a vital role in awareness raising and disseminating AML/CFT messages”. In a statement to launch the opening of a sensitization seminar on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Journalists from Anglophone ECOWAS Speaking countries which opened in Monrovia yesterday, Dr. Shehu stated, “Therefore, this seminar is one of strategies of achieving the mandate of GIABA which is to protect the national economies and financial systems of member states from the laundering of proceeds of crimes”.

The GIABA Chief said because the media serves as a change agent particularly as an anti-corruption crusader and to ensure that combat against economic and financial crime is effective, the citizens of the region should be fully aware of the ramifications of this scourge.

Dr. Shehu noted that the best way to achieve this is through the active involvement of the media. He stressed that the promotion of strategic partnerships with the civil society, including the media organizations remains a priority for GIABA within its Regional Strategic Framework.

The Director General said the need to build the capacity of media practitioners and to have them as informed allies in the fight against these scourges is critical to the overall success of the implementation of the AML/CFT framework in the region.

“It is in this regard that GIABA has conducted series of training and media oriented programmes towards facilitating their understanding on AML/CFT issues. A major outcome of these programmes is the formation of a Regional Network of Journalists involved in reporting economic and financial crimes in May 2010 in Abuja, Nigeria,” Dr. Shehu noted.

“Indeed, this is the 3rd edition of training seminar on economic and financial crimes for media practitioners from ECOWAS Countries,” he intimated. Dr. Shehu further disclosed that in March and October 2010, over 50 (Fifty) journalists were trained in Freetown and Abidjan for the Anglophone and Francophone countries respectively.

He noted that given the calibre of resource persons and the themes of the training programme, the Monrovia seminar is expected to Provide the participants with understanding about AML/CFT concepts and their roles in the global fight against the twin evil of money laundering and terrorist financing.

He also expressed the hope that the seminar and improved participants' understanding about investigative journalism germane to AML/CFT issues. He assured that GIABA will continue to provide the necessary support to its member States in order to establish robust AML/CFT regimes towards protecting the economies in the region against the abuse and laundering of proceeds of crimes. The training which started yesterday ends today.

Source: The Inquirer