New Leadership in GIABA

The ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Abidjan on 23^rd January 2014, at its Extraordinary Meeting approved the appointment of Messrs. Adama Coulibaly and Brian Anku Sapati, as the Director General and Deputy Director General, respectively, of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). The new leadership is taking over from Dr. Abdullahi SHEHU, a Nigerian who has been Director General since 26^th May 2006 and his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs) Ndeye Elisabeth Diaw, a Senegalese.

Mr. Adama Coulibaly, an Ivorian, is bringing to GIABA over thirty-two years of diverse experience. Until his new appointment, the new Director General was the President of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Cote d’Ivoire (CENTIF-CI) and GIABA National Correspondent for Cote d’Ivoire from July 2011. Mr. Coulibaly presided over the GIABA 18^th, 19^th and 20^th Technical Commission/Plenary meetings held between November 2012 and November 2013. The new Director General was Director General of the National Federation of Industries and Services in Cote d’Ivoire (FNISCI) from 2005 to 2011. Between 1982 and 1999, he worked at the Cote d’Ivoire Customs Department where he rose to the position of the Director General on 8^th November 1996. Under his leadership from 1996 to 1999, the Customs Department broke all revenue collection records, improved performance and secured revenue that was consistent with the requirements of the Bretton Woods Institutions.

The new Deputy Director General, Mr. Brian Anku Sapati, a Ghanaian, on his part, has been a co-chair of the GIABA Working Group on Typologies since 2010. A Consultant and Expert in Good Governance, Leadership and Institutional Development, he has also occupied, among other functions, the positions of Acting Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in Ghana, and Chief Inspector of Taxes in the National Revenue Collection Department. Mr. Sapati at one time also served as the Chairman of Board of Directors of Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre. 

The new helmsmen in GIABA are expected to officially assume duties on Monday, February 3, 2014.

 Source:  GIABA