COTONOU, BENIN: Over 30 investigative journalists from member states of the West African region are expected to conclude a three-day training workshop today, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in Cotonou, Benin.
The training workshop organized by the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), which was held in Cotonou, Benin, focused on training of investigative journalists on economic and financial crimes in the region.
The objectives of the workshop are to build a robust alliance with media in a concerted manner for effective dissemination of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) issues; to inform media about regional AML/CFT initiatives, in particular GIABA’s mandate; to enable trained journalists to acquire information, research and investigation techniques; to foster, within media, an investigative culture on money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/FT) practices and to enhance the journalists network that would promote better dissemination of information on AML/CFT standards.
Fighting economic and financial crime requires concerted, coordinated, cooperative and complementary efforts by stakeholders.
Considering the scope of issues at stake, and since 2009, GIABA broadened its stakeholders set to include media, particularly investigative journalists who play a critical role in uncovering allegations of corruption and in the area of fighting impunity as well as in promoting good governance, GIABA Information Manager told the participants on Monday, August 12, 2024.
During the 3-day event, participants acquainted themselves with GIABA mandate, regional AML/CFT initiatives and in particular information gathering and ML/TF investigation techniques.
The workshop has also created a new platform for exchanges, discussions and experience-sharing within the network of journalists with a view to better disseminating information on AML/CFT devices.
The training which brought together several experts in investigative journalism and anti-corruption including economic crimes and a host of GIABA faculty facilitated the workshop through presentations, case studies, experience-sharing, etc.
Importantly, the participants were paired in working groups writing AML/CFT-related articles, and improve processing of information on economic and financial crime, and how to continue to raise awareness on the nefarious effects of Money Laundering and terrorism finance (ML/TF).
There activities organized by GIABA has been rotating in the West African region since 2010; firstly in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2010; and 2022; Praia, Cape Verde, in 2012; Cotonou, Benin in 2011; and Monrovia, Liberia, in 2011 and 2017; Saly, Senegal in 2017; Accra, Ghana, in 2022, and the latest in the city of Cotonou is again hosting the 2024 edition, which brought together thirty-five (35) public and private media practitioners (TV, radio, print and online media) from ECOWAS Member States.
