Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition trains Sahel experts to combat terror financing

The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition concluded a specialized workshop on Wednesday in Niamey, the capital of Niger, under the title "Ways to Combat Terrorist Organization Financing in Sahel Countries." The event brought together specialists from Niger’s security, judicial, and regulatory agencies, as well as representatives from financial institutions, alongside experts in financial analysis, compliance, and policy-making.

The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of relevant authorities to detect sources of terrorist financing and analyze financial flows, while developing practical strategies to disrupt financial networks. The program was tailored to address the specific challenges facing Sahel countries in this field.

Workshop themes and discussion areas

The workshop focused on three main themes: sources of terrorist organization financing in the region, challenges to countering these efforts, and strategies for disrupting financing networks.

Participants discussed methods such as illicit trade, smuggling, ransom payments, and exploitation of natural resources, in addition to cross-border financial flows and informal financial systems.

The program emphasized the role of financial intelligence units in collecting and analyzing information, enhancing the efficiency of financial institutions and regulatory frameworks, and promoting international and regional cooperation to restrict terrorist financing channels.

Raising awareness and regional cooperation

The workshop also addressed raising awareness of terrorist financing methods and encouraging community participation in combating it. This event is part of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition’s program in the Sahel, building on its ongoing efforts to develop capacity, share expertise, and strengthen cooperation among relevant agencies to support counter-terror financing and reinforce security and stability in the region.