Point reporter off to Liberia

Lamin B. Darboe, a senior reporter with The Point newspaper, left Banjul yesterday for Monrovia, Liberia, to attend a two-day seminar for journalists on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).

The seminar, which will run from 19th to 20th May 2011, is organised by the Inter-Governmental Group of Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GAIBA) with a view to building a strong alliance with the media for effective dissemination of AML/CFT messages, and to improve the network among journalists in promoting the implementation of effective AML/CFT regimes in the region.

The seminar, among others, seeks to build the capacity of media practitioners and acquaint them with regional initiatives on AML/CFT frameworks, especially the mandate of GIABA in the fight against the scourge of money laundering and terrorism financing.

The two-day seminar will target economic and financial crimes reporters from English-speaking ECOWAS countries, and will be the third edition of such training seminar by AML/CFT on terrorism for media practitioners from both the anglophone and francophone/lusophone ECOWAS member states.

The seminar will be facilitated by experienced and highly competent media experts on AML/CFT including from the GIABA faculty through plenary sessions, case studies, experience sharing, and syndicate group sessions.

It will also serve as an opportunity for participants to refresh their knowledge, learn techniques as well as methods and tools for AML/CFT investigation.

According to officials of GIABA, the decision to strengthen the capacity of media practitioners in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing is justified by the fact that the media is regarded as an efficient means to reach a wide audience, and ensure continuous reception of messages.

At the end of the seminar, it is expected that there would be an improvement in the implementation of effective AML/CFT measures in member states, and better reporting on economic and financing crimes-related matters.