The seminar, organized under the SECFIN Africa program, brought together delegates from Gabon, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The training aimed to enhance the capabilities of investigators in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. Participants were trained on tracing financial flows on public blockchains, analyzing darknet market operations, and handling practical cases of patrimonial investigation.
The training covered formulation of international cooperation requests and procedures for seizing digital assets, reflecting the evolution of financial transaction methods. Experts Aurélien Vuilleumier and Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque led the sessions, providing insights into complex topics. The seminar's closure ceremony saw Guennolet Boumas Ngabina, Director-General of Gabon's National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), express gratitude to the experts and SECFIN Africa for their support.
Ngabina praised the trainers' pedagogical approach, which made complex subjects accessible. He also acknowledged the logistical and technical support from the National Agency for Digital Infrastructures and Frequencies (ANINF) and the ANIF teams. Representing ANINF's Director-General, Jean-Marcel Mamfoumbi Ocloo emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative for financial and digital security in the sub-region.
Mamfoumbi Ocloo highlighted that the seminar was an investment in the security and resilience of the community space. Gatien Giscard Mangou, Director-General of the ANIF in the Central African Republic, speaking on behalf of participants, requested another session to consolidate knowledge and mastery of tools and techniques discussed during the seminar.
The closure ceremony included certificate distribution to participants and was attended by representatives from national and sub-regional institutions, such as CEMAC, COBAC, and COSUMAF. The seminar aimed to strengthen cooperation and information sharing among participating countries to combat financial crimes.
The event demonstrated the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing the challenges posed by cryptocurrencies and the darknet. By enhancing investigators' skills, the seminar contributed to a more secure financial environment in Central Africa.
Key points
- The seminar trained investigators from seven Francophone countries in Central Africa on financial investigations, cryptocurrencies, and darknet operations.
- The training covered tracing financial flows on public blockchains and handling practical cases of patrimonial investigation.
- The seminar's outcomes are expected to enhance cooperation and information sharing among participating countries to combat financial crimes.
