By Adama Nyang
Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for West Africa (ARINWA) on Tuesday, 28th September 2023 embarked on a three-day annual general meeting (AGM) held at the Sir DawdaKairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Bijilo.
The AGM was officially opened by the Gambia Minister of Interior, Honourable Dawda A Jallow.
Minister Jallow expressed delight at the Gambia hosting the important meeting describing it as a reflection of the decade of collaborative achievements.
He commended the collective efforts of member states that have saved the progress of the government of the Gambia’s commitment to the prevention of sustainable development, recognizing the severe impact of illicit financial flows in Africa.
Recite data, according to him, indicated that the African continent loses approximately 89 billion dollars annually and this is equivalent to 3.7% of its GDP due to illicit financial flows, including tax evasion and drug trafficking.
“These statistics are alarming, it indicates, the need for the member state to run behind ARINWA and offer its required support to stop the rise of transnational organised crime in West Africa, ones that causing a substantial,” he stated.
The Minister noted that 2014 was towards fostering international cognition by facilitating exchanges of information and combating the financing of terrorism like this.
“All of this network plays a vital role in establishing robust collaborations to effectively combat criminal networks and organisations in this region. Gambia’s commitment to the activities and programs of ARINWA is unwavering, and we will continue to support this initiative within the Gambia and beyond, as we strive to achieve, our sustainable development goals,” Honourable Jallow expressed
More so, “Our commitment to the global efforts against transnational organised crime is rooted in the adoption and implementation of patent and UN conventions,” Minister Jallowadded.
Moving on, he dilated on the Protocols and Regional Agreements, including the Aquarius Protocol on multiple legal assistance, in criminal matters that the Gambia has consistently enacted 21, legislations and compass in drug control act. Also on the anti-terrorism acts in a persons act and the money, laundering, and combating of closing financing act.
The president of ARINWA, Jacinto Fernandes do Castohighlighted the objectives of the organization saying is for regional operations to fight against crime, money laundering, and assets recovery within the sub-region of West Africa.
Since its establishment in November 2023, he noted, the organization has been working to make sure that money laundering, crime, and assets recovery are stopped in West Africa.
Sheraphine Wakana, UN Agency Resident Coordinator expressed her deep gratitude to the authorities of the Gambia who have agreed to host this binary meeting.
She stated that political technical, and financial support is very crucial for the organization.
Ma’am Wakana noted that the existence of corporation networks like ARINWA is crucial to effectively co-ordinate, and facilitate the cross-border fights against all forms of financial crime.
She added that the network is a useful instrument for criminal justice actors in response to the end of the proceeds of crime successfully facilitated.
“Several requests for mutual assistance since its creation in 2014 increase the effectiveness of the efforts of its members through the monthly disability approach, which makes it possible to deprive the links of the elicited profits,” she explained.
Ma’am Wakana concluded by assuring them of further UNDP assistance.
Ulrilke Ebeling, GIZ Regional Director for Senegal, Gambia, and Cape Verde in her statement said GIZ will continue its support for a development-oriented fight against illegal financial flows, through a holistic approach that takes into account, prevention, financial investigations, and the recovery of criminal assets, the global program supports in collaboration with the United Nations office on drugs and crime.
She therefore thanked the strategic and operational activities that are essential to the functioning of the network.
Assets Recovery Inter-agency Network for West Africa was established in 2014 with the primary purpose of combating financial crime by recovering assets illegally acquired by criminals.