The Ivory Coast’s Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget, Adama Coulibaly, led the official handover ceremony in Cocody on Wednesday, inaugurating the GIABA Information Center’s fresh facilities. This strategic move aligns with the Seat Agreement, reinforcing regional collaboration against financial crime.
The GIABA Information Center in Abidjan traces its origins to a November 26, 2010 decision by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers during its 65th ordinary session in Abuja. At the time, the council approved two centers: one in Lagos for anglophone nations and another in Abidjan catering to francophone and lusophone states.
The Abidjan hub opened its doors on September 21, 2015, following the March 29, 2014 Seat Agreement signed in Yamoussoukro during the 44th ECOWAS Heads of State summit.
Strengthening regional defenses against financial crime
During the inauguration, Minister Coulibaly emphasized the growing sophistication of money laundering and terrorism financing schemes. He stressed that no single country can tackle these challenges alone, advocating for pooled expertise and shared intelligence to disrupt illicit financial networks.
The new center is positioned as a regional hub for awareness campaigns, capacity building, research and documentation, serving all ECOWAS members. Coulibaly called for its transformation into an excellence platform for combating financial crime across West Africa.
GIABA’s outgoing director highlights center’s impact
GIABA Director General Edwin W. Harris Jr. reflected on the Abidjan center’s achievements since 2015. Its initiatives included open days for youth, public lectures, regional public speaking contests and targeted training for journalists, religious leaders and civil society groups.
Harris Jr. underlined the center’s role in supporting mutual evaluation processes and preparing for a new phase of growth with upgraded facilities. He positioned the revamped center as a strategic asset for francophone and lusophone ECOWAS members, fostering knowledge exchange and innovation in financial crime prevention.
Expanding training and engagement opportunities
The upgraded center introduces a Computer-Based Training facility offering tailored modules for officials, financial institutions, regulated professions and law enforcement. Students, researchers and young professionals will also benefit from specialized programs, with certificates awarded upon completion to enhance regional expertise.
Harris Jr. invited government agencies, financial bodies, universities and civil society organizations to utilize the space for training, conferences and collaborative initiatives. He placed particular emphasis on youth engagement, aiming to cultivate a new generation committed to integrity, governance and economic progress.
The timing of the inauguration holds symbolic significance, coinciding with the end of Harris Jr.’s tenure on August 31, 2026. The new facilities represent a lasting legacy, equipping West Africa with tools to strengthen cooperation, information sharing and skill development in the fight against illicit financial flows.
