At the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa Plenary and Ministerial Committee session in Abidjan, Sierra Leone's Ministry of Finance highlighted a call by Finance Minister Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura for stronger regional cooperation and coordinated financial security measures across Economic Community of West African States member states. In remarks at the meeting, he warned that terrorism financing, piracy, illicit financial flows and cyber-enabled fraud are increasingly interconnected cross-border risks that can undermine growth, investor confidence, governance and stability in West Africa. He urged member states to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing frameworks, backed by stronger intelligence sharing and financial oversight, and to deepen coordination among governments, financial regulators, security institutions and international partners. He also called for investment in modern security infrastructure, digital resilience and coordinated maritime surveillance systems, alongside harmonised legal and regulatory frameworks to address cybercrime and illicit financial activity. The GIABA discussions focused on anti-money laundering strategies, counter-terrorism financing measures, financial intelligence cooperation and regional responses to emerging security threats.

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