The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the admission of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as non-ECOWAS members of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

The admission of the three countries is subject to a strong political commitment to fully implement obligations required of GIABA members, including addressing deficiencies in their Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) frameworks, as well as cooperating fully with all related compliance requirements under the GIABA Statute.

A statement from GIABA said the decision was taken at the end of the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority, held on December 14, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, under the chairmanship of Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and current Chair of the Authority.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formally completed their withdrawal from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after forming a new confederation known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Prior to the Authority’s decision, the GIABA Ministerial Committee had recommended the admission of the three Sahelian countries as non-ECOWAS members during its second Extraordinary Session held on July 19, 2025, in Accra.

The GIABA Establishment Statute allows for the admission of non-ECOWAS member states, provided they meet the stipulated eligibility criteria.

The statement explained that with the latest approvals, GIABA now counts five non-ECOWAS member states, including Sao Tome and Principe and the Union of Comoros. (Graphic Online)