Dakar, Senegal - A regional training on financial crimes, including money laundering, Tuesday got underway in Gambia, with some 30 participants from five English-speaking West African countries and Malawi attending, PANA reported from here. Addressing the gathering, Akpan Ekpo, the Director General of West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), buttressed the important link between financial stability and economic growth and development. 'Money laundering is a key threat to financial stability in any economy, more so to small and fragile economies in our sub-region,' Ekpo said.

The key objectives of the course included helping participants to develop critical skills in handling money laundering and financial crimes in the region.

The five-day course, organized by WAIFEM, draws participants from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Gambia and Malawi.

Pana 13/04/2011