CRDF Global Hosts Regional UNSCR Financial Capacity-Building Workshop in Dakar

On behalf of Global Affairs Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program (WTRP), CRDF Global, in partnership with the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and Capacity & Compliance Skills International (CCSI), successfully implemented a three-day regional workshop in Dakar, Senegal, from August 26–28, 2025.

The workshop, titled “UNSCR Capacity-Building Workshop for Public and Private Sectors in Francophone Africa,” brought together 68 participants representing financial intelligence units (FIUs), financial regulators, commercial banks, and compliance professionals from Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Morocco, Niger, and Togo. Nearly forty-four (44) percent of participants were women, underscoring CRDF Global’s commitment to inclusive capacity building.

Strengthening Financial Integrity and Sanctions Compliance

This regional counter-proliferation finance (CPF) training, including the presentation from GIABA, was put together as a capacity-building exercise to improve financial and UNSCR compliance in the context of countering money laundering and the financing of proliferating states. Recent GIABA–FATF collaborative research on typologies of terrorist and illicit financing in West Africa identified key methods and vulnerabilities across the region. The study, referenced in the workshop presentation and drawing on data from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal, found that terrorist and illicit financial networks raise and move funds through both legitimate and illicit channels, including trade-based activities, nonprofit and charity organizations, arms and asset smuggling, and drug trafficking.

FATF highlighted that weak border controls, limited capacity among reporting institutions, and fragmented interagency coordination continue to enable terrorist financing in the region. It also emphasized the need for stronger information-sharing mechanisms and capacity building across FIUs, regulators, law enforcement, and the judiciary—gaps directly addressed by this CRDF Global-led workshop.

Over the course of the three-day event, subject matter experts from CCSI, complemented by GIABA, delivered interactive sessions and tabletop exercises focused on CPF, sanctions implementation, and risk-based compliance frameworks. The program examined the evolving threats posed by proliferation financing, corruption, and the misuse of digital technologies, emphasizing the importance of public–private cooperation and regional information sharing.

Participants explored case studies on UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions, North Korea’s evasion networks, and emerging risks posed by virtual assets and artificial intelligence. Discussions also highlighted the value of developing interagency coordination mechanisms, robust IT systems, and proactive compliance strategies to strengthen the integrity of West Africa’s financial systems.

Regional Collaboration and Impact

The event featured opening remarks from Mr. Finnian Cronin, Political Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Dakar, and Mr. Jean Abossuwe Anade, Senior Officer for Non-Financial Entities at the GIABA Secretariat, speaking on behalf of Director General Mr. Edwin W. Harris Jr. Their remarks underscored Canada’s and GIABA’s shared commitment to enhancing financial governance and resilience against proliferation finance risks across the region.

Participants praised the workshop’s interactive design, high-level content, and practical relevance, noting its applicability to their daily work in financial supervision and compliance. Pre- and post-event surveys indicated a significant knowledge gain and a strong commitment to applying lessons learned within home institutions.

Looking Ahead

Participants and organizers identified several priorities for continued collaboration, including future training on terrorist financing, cryptocurrency regulation, and AI-driven compliance monitoring. GIABA expressed its readiness to continue partnering with CRDF Global and Global Affairs Canada to support these efforts as West African countries prepare for the upcoming GIABA Third Round of mutual evaluations.

CRDF Global extends its sincere appreciation to Global Affairs Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program, GIABA, and CCSI for their partnership in advancing financial compliance and non-proliferation objectives across Francophone West Africa.