The Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Mr. Edwin W. Harris, Jr., has called for stronger international cooperation and additional support to enhance West Africa’s fight against organized and transnational crimes.
Speaking early this week at the 42nd edition of the prestigious Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crimes in the United Kingdom, the Liberian-born anti-money laundering expert outlined the progress and persistent challenges facing law enforcement agencies across the sub-region.
Delivering a paper on the topic “Police Force to Police Force Cooperation: The Limits of the Law,” Harris explained how globalization, financial crimes, terrorism financing, and organized criminal networks have blurred borders, forcing states to rely on both formal and informal channels of cooperation.
“The accelerated globalization of economic and financial crime has led to a plethora of cases where evidence may be located in foreign jurisdictions,” Harris noted. “We are witnessing in our time increased requests for assistance by countries from other countries in assembling evidence located abroad for use in domestic criminal investigations and prosecutions.”
According to the GIABA DG, West Africa, with its porous borders and growing digital connectivity, remains particularly vulnerable to international criminal syndicates engaged in money laundering, drug trafficking, human smuggling, arms trading, cybercrime, and terrorist financing.
These crimes not only erode state revenues and weaken economies but also undermine democratic governance and security.
Harris reminded delegates that law enforcement authorities often confront cases in which critical evidence, financial records, witness testimonies, or digital communications may be located in other countries. As such, international cooperation has become a central pillar of criminal justice systems, making it impossible for nations to effectively fight crime in isolation.
The GIABA DG emphasized that there are two principal methods available to police and prosecutors: formal Cooperation through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA). This refers to official government-to-government requests regulated by treaties, protocols, or bilateral agreements.
MLA is essential where coercive measures such as search warrants, production orders, or witness summons are required, and informal Cooperation through Police-to-Police Channels: These are direct exchanges between law enforcement agencies, often faster and less bureaucratic. Police-to-police cooperation is crucial in situations where evidence must be obtained swiftly or where political sensitivities could slow down government-level processes.
Harris stressed that both channels are complementary but not interchangeable. While MLA provides the legal force necessary to compel compliance, police-to-police cooperation often delivers agility and immediacy.
Although MLA remains a cornerstone of international cooperation, Harris cited several limitations that make reliance on it risky in certain circumstances. He pointed to case studies in Canada and the United Kingdom, which demonstrated the legal and constitutional hurdles inherent in formal cooperation.
Case of Rajaratnam (Canada, 2020): Four individuals charged with human smuggling successfully challenged the use of MLA-based evidence on constitutional grounds. The courts ruled that the evidence violated rights to fair trial and due process, leading to acquittals.
Case of KBR Ltd. (UK, 2017–2021): The UK Supreme Court ruled that the Serious Fraud Office could not compel a foreign corporation to produce documents held overseas, underscoring the principle that domestic laws lack extra-territorial effect.
“These examples illustrate the difficulties with relying solely on judicial cooperation,” Harris said. “While MLA treaties are powerful tools, they expose vulnerabilities that clever defense counsels can exploit.”
Other obstacles highlighted include differences in national legal frameworks, lengthy bureaucratic procedures, incomplete or improperly prepared requests, language barriers and operational delays, and lack of resources and inadequate responses.
Against these challenges, police-to-police cooperation has become increasingly significant. Harris traced the historical evolution of international policing, noting that while 19th-century cooperation was largely political, the 20th century marked the emergence of professional policing institutions free from political influence.
Key milestones included the establishment of the International Criminal Police Commission in 1923, later renamed INTERPOL in 1956, the growth of specialized regional policing bodies such as EUROPOL in Europe, and SAARC Police Mechanisms in South Asia, SARPCCO in Southern Africa, and EAPCCO in East Africa.
In Africa, the creation of AFRIPOL under the African Union, and the embedding of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) under ECOWAS since 2003. “These platforms have given police forces the agility to share information, track suspects, and prevent crimes across borders more effectively,” Harris remarked.
Harris devoted significant attention to WAPIS, a program launched in 2012 through a partnership involving ECOWAS, the European Union, and INTERPOL. Designed as a secure, centralized database, WAPIS allows member states to register, store, and share criminal records in real time.
The system, which already hosts more than 700,000 digitized records, provides intelligence on: suspected criminals, stolen vehicles and firearms, forged travel and identity documents, and organized crime networks.
In April 2025, ECOWAS formally took ownership of the system from INTERPOL and the EU, marking what Harris described as a “strategic shift” in the region’s security landscape.
“WAPIS is an indispensable asset to security agencies operating at national, regional, and international levels,” Harris said. “It not only strengthens national law enforcement but also connects West African countries to INTERPOL’s global I-24/7 network, ensuring greater interoperability.”
Despite the successes, Harris warned that WAPIS risks being underutilized unless ECOWAS member states commit more resources to its sustainability. He urged national governments to allocate sufficient budgetary support for training and technology, conduct regular assessments to measure impact and identify gaps, institutionalize national ownership by embedding WAPIS in domestic law enforcement strategies, and sustain partnerships with international actors like INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and donor agencies.
“We must ensure that WAPIS is not just a donor-driven initiative, but a West African-owned tool that secures our region against the threats of terrorism, trafficking, and organized crime,” Harris emphasized.
Experts at the Cambridge Symposium welcomed Harris’s insights, noting that West Africa’s experience reflects global realities. Criminal syndicates are increasingly networked, using digital platforms, cryptocurrencies, and sophisticated smuggling routes.
Delegates also noted that WAPIS could serve as a model for other regions facing similar security threats, particularly where resources are limited but the need for swift intelligence sharing is acute.
For Liberia, Harris’s leadership at GIABA represents a point of national pride. His remarks at Cambridge underscore how a Liberian technocrat now plays a pivotal role in shaping continental and global security discourse.
Back home, law enforcement officers expressed optimism that GIABA’s advocacy will translate into practical support. A senior Liberian police officer, speaking anonymously, said:
“WAPIS has already made a difference in how we track cross-border car theft and arms trafficking. But we need more training, more equipment, and stronger political will from our leaders to make it fully operational.”
Harris concluded his presentation with a strong appeal for continued collaboration, noting that combating transnational crime is a shared responsibility.
“International cooperation is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Without it, no country, no matter how advanced, can succeed in dismantling the networks of transnational crime. The success of WAPIS and other cooperative mechanisms will depend on our collective commitment to resource them, use them effectively, and keep adapting to new threats.”
Meanwhile, the annual Cambridge symposium, established in 1982, serves as a valuable platform for promoting collaborative efforts and constructive dialogues to address the challenges posed by economically motivated crime. The symposium features a comprehensive program that leverages the expertise of a diverse network of global professionals specializing in the prevention and management of economic crimes and misconduct.
At its 42nd symposium, distinguished keynote speakers included Mr. Lucien Wong, Attorney General of Singapore, Dr. Mariano Cuneo Libarona, Minister of Justice of Argentina, Mr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Ghana, and Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria, among others.
Several experts also presented papers on topics such as police force collaboration and legal boundaries. Notable speakers included Dr. Peter German KC, Barrister and President of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform, Mr. Nicholas Court, Assistant Director at the Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Center, Interpol, France, and Mr. Tony Saggers, Director at Stratac Logical Ltd and former Head of Intelligence at the National Crime Agency, UK.
However, the GIABA DG’s speech served as both a progress report and a warning. Progress, because West Africa has begun to institutionalize cooperation mechanisms like WAPIS; a warning, because without sustained political will and investment, these achievements risk stagnation.
As the Cambridge Symposium drew to a close, one message resonated clearly: the fight against transnational crime requires more than treaties and speeches; it demands practical, sustained, and well-funded cooperation among police forces, prosecutors, and policymakers across the globe.
