Ouagadougou: An international symposium aimed at strengthening the fight against fraud within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is being organized by the National Coordination for the Fight Against Fraud in Burkina Faso. This significant event is set to take place in Ouagadougou from April 6 to 8, 2026, with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of national mechanisms to combat fraud in a security context.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the symposium's primary objective is to improve national anti-fraud measures by identifying systemic links to security challenges, sharing expertise, and developing a strategic and operational roadmap for all AES countries. The Minister in charge of the Economy of Burkina Faso, Aboubakar Nacanabo, opened the meeting on behalf of the Prime Minister, highlighting the symposium as a crucial and strategic response to a problem that transcends national boundaries and challenges the resilience of states.
Minister Nacanabo emphasized that fraud is a pervasive issue affecting economies worldwide, weakening tax and customs systems, eroding public trust in institutions, and depriving states of essential resources for policy implementation. He noted that losses related to fraud amount to approximately 5% of the global gross domestic product annually, with illicit financial flows extracting nearly $1 trillion from developing economies each year.
Dr. Mohamadi Compaore, the national coordinator for the fight against fraud in Burkina Faso, explained that the symposium includes 72 hours of discussions on the theme "The fight against fraud in the context of security challenges in the AES area: issues, resilience of systems and perspectives for action." Five thematic panels led by national and international experts will address the manifestations and effects of fraud, resilience strategies, assessment of anti-fraud instruments, foreign experiences, and prospects for improvement.
Dr. Compaore emphasized the importance of fostering in-depth dialogue to derive concrete lessons and recommendations suitable for the AES area's security and institutional context. He commended the participation of sister administrations, whose collaboration was vital in preparing the symposium, reinforcing the coherence of public action and addressing the complex challenges faced by AES countries.
The symposium gathers around 200 participants, including experts, academics, practitioners, and representatives from ESA countries, all contributing to the collective effort to combat fraud in the region.