The Ministerial Committee of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has unanimously approved the membership bids of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as non-ECOWAS member states. The decision was taken during the Committee’s 2nd Extraordinary Session held on July 19 in Accra, Ghana.
The Committee resolved to recommend the applications to the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, via the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, for final approval. The three Sahelian nations formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024 and subsequently established the Alliance of Sahel States. Although ECOWAS granted a six-month window for reconsideration, their withdrawal became official on January 29, 2025.
Under GIABA’s legal framework, countries outside ECOWAS may join the organization if they meet specific eligibility requirements. Presently, Sao Tome and Principe and the Comoros Islands are the only two non-ECOWAS members. The GIABA Secretariat presented a position paper confirming that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have substantially fulfilled the necessary criteria and expressed their readiness to comply with GIABA obligations, including financial commitments and the implementation of strategies to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF).
The Committee conducted a thorough review of the implications of admitting the three countries, emphasizing the need for regional stability, peace, and development. They noted that rejecting the applications could carry serious security and diplomatic consequences.
Representatives of the applicant countries welcomed the decision, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing cross-border security threats. They reaffirmed their dedication to fulfilling GIABA’s mandates and contributing meaningfully to regional cooperation.
GIABA Director General, Mr. Edwin W. Harrs Jr., delivered a progress update to the Committee. Notably, he announced that Mali had been removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as of June 2025. He also confirmed that onsite assessments by the FATF’s Africa Joint Group are scheduled for Nigeria and Burkina Faso later this year, with expectations that both countries will also exit the grey list by October 2025.
Additional developments shared during the session included the July 2025 admission of the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of The Gambia and Sierra Leone into the Egmont Group. Nigeria has also been invited to serve as a guest member of the FATF from October 2025 through October 2026.
The Committee was also informed that GIABA’s 25th anniversary (Silver Jubilee) celebrations will be held in Monrovia, Liberia, in November 2025.
Delivering the opening address, Ghana’s Vice President, Her Excellency Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, lauded GIABA for its essential role in protecting the integrity of West Africa’s financial systems. She urged the Committee to remain anchored in the shared values of ECOWAS; unity, mutual respect, and collective responsibility.
A key highlight of the meeting was the ceremonial transfer of the GMC Chairmanship. Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, officially handed over leadership to Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Sheku F. Bangura.
About the Author
