ABIDJAN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ivorian Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget Adama Coulibaly on Wednesday reaffirmed Cote d'Ivoire's commitment to combating financial crime.
He made the remarks during the inauguration in Abidjan of the new Information Center of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
The minister also stressed the need for a collective response to the increasingly complex forms of financial crime. "Virtual assets, digital technologies and the intensification of cross-border financial flows are profoundly transforming the environment in which those involved in combating money laundering and terrorist financing operate."
"No country, no state can claim to be able to tackle these challenges alone," he said, calling for stronger training, information sharing and regional cooperation.
According to Coulibaly, the GIABA Information Center in Abidjan should serve as a regional platform for awareness-raising, capacity building, research, documentation and communication for French- and Portuguese-speaking member states. ■