GIABA Organizes Workshop on Free Trade Zones for Stakeholders

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2 Capacity Building GIABA Organizes Workshop on Free Trade Zones for Stakeholders T he Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has called on stakeholders in Nigeria's Free Trade Zone administration to control the menace of money laundering through the zones. The call was made at the end of a 2-day national workshop on Money Laundering through Free Trade Zone for stakeholders, organized by GIABA, held from 14 to 15 August, 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria. Speaking at the opening ceremony, GIABA Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Shehu described criminals as always ready to jump at loopholes wherever there is free flow of money in other to wash their ill-gotten proceeds. FTZs are no exemption, he said, noting that they are central to the integrated global economy including stimulating economic growth. The relevance of FTZs continues to grow as globalisation defines economic progress. However the standards, oversight, and regulations governing FTZs have not kept pace with these developments. According to Dr. Shehu who was represented by Dr. 'Buno Nduka, GIABA's Director of Programs and Projects, GIABA had designed the training program in order to keep stakeholders in the FTZ administration abreast of their responsibilities in implementing Antimoney Laundering and Combating of the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes within their operational zones. This is to prevent the misuse of FTZs as a conduit for money laundering, financing of terrorism and financing of proliferation. Speaking through a representative at the event, GIABA National Correspondent/Acting Family photograph of participants at the Sensitization Workshop om AML/CFT for administrators of Free Trade Zones in Nigeria, held from 14 to 15 August 2012 at Lagos, Nigeria. Director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Ms. Juliet Ibekaku charged participants to responsibly manage subordinates so as to ensure that anti-money laundering policies made by management are implemented. She further noted the importance for all actors to forge together in unity to develop safeguards for Nigeria's Free Trade Zones and prevent them from being abused by criminals. She then expressed desire that the recommendations arising from the workshop will have far reaching effects on the country's AML/CFT regime. The 2-day sensitization program aimed at Supervisors and Regulators in the Free Trade Zone administration in Nigeria was informed by the necessity to react proactively to the proliferation of FTZs in the country. The objectives of the workshop were (i) to provide participants with the knowledge and tools required to file mandatory and suspicious reports to relevant authorities; and (ii) to afford participants the opportunity to share and listen to practical and live experiences of required FATF recommendations internal control processes, and hands-on procedures, programs and policies of AML/CFT compliance. Media Support Critical to Curbing Money Laundering and Other Crimes T he support of the media is very critical to the successful implementation of antimoney laundering measures in the West African region, says Dr Abdullahi Shehu of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) at the sensitization seminar on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Journalists from Anglophone ECOWAS Countries organized by GIABA between June 27 and June 28, 2012 in Banjul, The Gambia. Speaking on the rationale for the seminar, he said, We recognise the critical role of the media in collecting and disseminating information about money laundering and terrorist financing. Money laundering is a crime of exploitation that depends on the commission of other crimes and actions that offend the law. The media has a great role to play in adequately reporting all the 21 predicate offenses of money laundering and must take concrete actions towards illuminating the minds of the populace on the ill effects of money laundering. It is expected that when the media takes ownership of these roles and do it conscientiously, then we can move Hon. Abdou Kolley, minister for Finance and Economic Affairs of The Gambia and Dr. 'Buno Nduka, Director of Programmes and Projects of GIABA flanked by participants at the Sensitization Seminar on AML/CFT for Journalists of Anglophone ECOWAS member States, held from 27 to 28 June 2012 at Banjul, The Gambia. greatly towards achieving a peaceful region, he said. According to Dr. Shehu who spoke through Dr. 'Buno Nduka, GIABA's Director of Programs and Projects, GIABA recognizes the need to build the capacity of media practitioners and to have them as informed allies in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and financing of proliferation. He noted that this is critical to the 2 overall success of the implementation of the AML/CFT framework in the region. He noted that it was in this regard that GIABA had conducted series of trainings and mediaoriented programmes towards facilitating their understanding on AML/CFT issues, through which more than one hundred journalists across ECOWAS Member States have been trained. - Vanguard

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5 PHOTOGRAPH The Director General of GIABA, Dr Abdullahi Shehu, and Colonel N. S. Mokhine, South African security officer serving at the Embassy of South Africa in Dakar, Senegal. The Director General of GIABA, Dr Abdullahi Shehu, and the new Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal, Her Excellency Mrs. Katyen C. Jackden, during her visit to GIABA. Mr. Babacar Ndiaye, GIABA Director of Administration and Finance, flanked by Philippe Audebert, Compliance Officer, Retail Bank, and Ahmadou Bamba Thiam, Director of Compliance, BICIS. The Director General of GIABA, Dr Abdullahi Shehu, and Benjamin Boudreaux, during his visit to GIABA. Participants at the Sensitization Workshop on AML/CFT for administrators of Free Trade Zones in Nigeria, from 14 to 15 August 2012 at Lagos, Nigeria. Dr Abdullahi Shehu, Director General of GIABA welcomes Professor Amsatou Sow Sidibé, Minister Counsellor at the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal. Dr Ndèye Elisabeth Diaw, Deputy Director General of GIABA, encourages and felicitates with staff at the retreat, held at Somone, Senegal from 5 to 7 July The Director General of GIABA, Dr Abdullahi Shehu, and His Excellency, Mr Chon-Weon Shin, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, during his visit to GIABA. 5

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