The Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will hold the 34th Plenary Meeting of its Technical Commission, from 02 to 11 December 2020 by videoconference and face-to-face, in La Somone (Senegal). Meeting twice a year, the Plenary Meetings aim to foster discussions between Member States ( MS) technicians around the threats and challenges related to the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) in the region. They also enable MS to address relevant issues requiring a concerted and harmonised approach in the effective implementation of AML/CFT measures. Finally, as a platform for sharing experiences, plenary sessions are also opportunities to establish partnerships between experts, MS representatives, technical partners and observers in the fight.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meeting of the Working Group on Risks, Trends and Methods (RTMG) will be held entirely by videoconference on 2 December 2020. The meetings of the Working Group on Conformity and Assessment (GEC), the Closed Forum of FIUs and the Plenary Meeting of the Technical Commission should take place face-to-face and by videoconference.

During this 34th session, the Report of the 2nd Round of Mutual Evaluation of the Republic of Sierra Leone will be discussed. The Working Group on Conformity assessment (GEC) will also examine the 1st ms cycle monitoring reports from Member States such as comoros, Liberia and Guinea. The purpose of the Mutual Evaluation and Monitoring Processes and Procedures is to assess the implementation and effectiveness of laws, regulations or other measures required by the basic criteria. These MS also make it possible to verify whether all the necessary measures have been fully and properly implemented. They also aim to help Member States address identified gaps in their AML/CFT systems to ensure compliance and effectiveness with international standards.

Also on the agenda of this 34th meeting are the meetings of the Working Group on Risks, Trends and Methods (RTMG), the Regional Forum behind closed doors of the Financial Intelligence Units (FIU), the summary presentation of the Director General's activity report, enquiry points on the Governance Procedure and the revised Statutes of GIABA.

The opening ceremony of the 34th Plenary, scheduled for December 10, 2020, will be chaired by the Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Senegal. The Chair of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is also expected to make remarks at the ceremony.

The holding of the 34th Plenary Meeting of the Technical Commission coincides with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of GIABA. As a reminder, the Community institution was created on 10 December 1999 and its statutes adopted on 16 December 2000. Its objective is to prevent and contain the scourges of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) in West Africa.

In this regard, GIABA has become a reference that works not only to curb these threats, but also to promote a genuine regional alliance against crime and terror.
The establishment of GIABA is a major response to the threat and a practical demonstration of the real political commitment of MS to combat money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) and to cooperate with relevant nations and international organisations to achieve this objective. This event will be marked by a press conference on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.

As for the 22nd Meeting of the Ministerial Committee, it will be held on 12 December 2020. The responsible ministers of the institution will examine, among other things, the Director General's Summary Activity Report, the Reports of the 33rd and 34th Plenary Meetings of the Technical Commission, as well as the Report of the 2nd cycle of the mutual evaluation of Sierra Leone. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Mr. Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi BROU is expected and will make a speech as well as Marcus Pleyer, President of the FATF.

The opening speech of the ministerial meeting will be delivered by the Chairman of the GMC, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Ghana or his representative.