Ministers of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) have approved the continued integration of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as non-ECOWAS members.
The decision, made Friday in Accra, aims to maintain vital regional cooperation against illicit financial flows, APA has learned.
During an extraordinary session, GIABA ministers unanimously acknowledged the imperative of sustained collaboration in the face of widespread insecurity and the pervasive threat of illicit financial flows. This recognition came despite the official withdrawal of the three nations from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger formally exited ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, one year after their initial announcement. They accused the regional bloc of being manipulated by France. Since their departure, these military-led states have formed the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), establishing their own symbols and actively discussing the creation of a joint force, having also withdrawn from the G5 Sahel.
GIABA’s decision will now be submitted for validation to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and ultimately to the Authority of Heads of State and Government. Notably, ECOWAS had previously appointed a ministerial troika to assist the Commission Chairperson in discussions initiated with the AES in Bamako in May.
The Accra meeting, inaugurated by Ghana’s Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, also featured a ceremonial transfer of the GIABA Ministerial Committee chairmanship from Nigeria’s Minister of Justice to Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA