Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman has encouraged West African countries to work more closely together to stop money from being used for illegal activities like terrorism and weapon smuggling.

Delivering her speech at the 2nd Extraordinary Meeting of the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) in Accra, the Vice President commended GIABA members for their dedication to ensuring that West African states adopt adequate measures in line with acceptable international practices and standards.

"Your work, often behind the scenes, is of great importance to regional security and sustainable development.

"This is an opportunity for reflection and foresight, and to reimagine how our regional institutions respond to emerging threats, adapt to evolving contexts, and expand the frontiers of cooperation," she said.

GIABA is an establishment by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a FATF-style regional body (FSRB).

It plays a critical role in assisting member states to implement international standards against financial crimes, and its efforts are essential in a region where illicit financial flows are estimated to cost African economies billions of dollars annually, often fuelling corruption, organised crime, and insurgency.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang urged West African Countries to create a system that can adjust to today's fast-changing threats like terrorism and money-laundering.

"As leaders and stakeholders, our responsibility is to ensure that our regional architecture for combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Weapons remains robust, inclusive, and forward-looking. That architecture must be capable of addressing emerging threats within stable jurisdictions and across all of West Africa," she emphasised.

This appeal comes at a critical time, as security threats continue to grow in the Sahel and other parts of West Africa. In these areas, terrorist groups are known to use illegal financial networks to support their activities and buy weapons.

Cutting off these financial channels is a key strategy in the fight against terrorism.

A major part of the Vice President’s message was the importance of involving “all ECOWAS countries, including countries currently in transition.”

This points to nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have seen military takeovers and are currently suspended from some ECOWAS political structures.

Because of their political instability, these countries often face weak governance, which criminals can take advantage of. That’s why including them in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing efforts is vital for the region’s safety, even when political disagreements exist.

In wrapping up her remarks, Professor Opoku-Agyemang made a strong call for unity and teamwork among member states. “Let this meeting serve not only as a forum for policy, but also as a platform for a partnership that will lead to a more united and resilient West Africa,” she urged.

Ghana, known for its stable democracy and active participation in ECOWAS, continues to support regional security and economic initiatives.

The Vice President’s speech reflects Ghana’s ongoing commitment to promoting unity and taking the lead in addressing threats that put the peace and progress of West Africa at risk.

These efforts will only succeed if there is steady political commitment, stronger cooperation between countries, and full enforcement of global standards on fighting money laundering and terrorism financing.