Fight Against Financing Terrorism
Introduction
Terrorism financing poses a serious and evolving threat to Ghana and the wider West African sub-region. As terrorist organisations expand their activities across the Sahel and deeper into coastal West Africa, they establish and exploit complex financing networks—from abuse of the formal financial system and virtual assets, to misuse of crowdfunding platforms and non-profit organisations. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has noted that terrorists continue to demonstrate adaptability in exploiting the international financial system, with digital platforms, virtual assets, and micro-financing strategies making the fight against terrorism financing increasingly complex.
Ghana has taken significant steps to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. The country has enacted key legislation, including the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044) and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2008 (Act 762), and established the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) as the national centre for receiving, analysing, and disseminating financial intelligence. Ghana’s National Risk Assessment also confirmed that while many legal, supervisory, and law enforcement mitigation measures have been established to prevent, detect, and deter money laundering and terrorism financing, criminals continue to seek out and exploit gaps in these measures. Regulatory gaps remain in areas such as virtual assets and the non-profit organisation sector.
Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need for systematic capacity building for personnel engaged in the fight against terrorism financing. An effective counter-terrorism financing regime depends not only on legal frameworks and institutional mandates, but fundamentally on the expertise, analytical capabilities, and operational skills of its practitioners. This course is designed to address this capacity-building need, tailored to the specific context of Ghana.
Course Description
Course Title: Fight Against Financing Terrorism.
Duration: eLearning followed by 3 days of in-person lectures and exercises.
Target Audience: Mid-to-senior level personnel from Financial Intelligence Centre, law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies (such as the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission), prosecution services, national security agencies and civil society organisations engaged in counter-terrorism financing.
Course Overview
This course examines the key concepts, methodologies, and operational practices in the fight against terrorism financing. It covers international standards (including FATF Recommendations and United Nations Security Council resolutions), Ghana’s legal and institutional framework, and practical tools for combating terrorism financing, including financial intelligence analysis, suspicious transaction reporting, asset freezing mechanisms, and public-private sector cooperation. The course also addresses emerging challenges such as virtual assets, digital platform abuse, and micro-financing strategies.
Course Aim
The aim of this course is to strengthen the capacity of Ghanaian and West African financial intelligence personnel, law enforcement officers, regulators, and prosecutors to understand and effectively implement measures against terrorism financing. It seeks to enhance participants’ ability to identify, investigate, and disrupt terrorism financing networks, while ensuring compliance with international standards and human rights obligations.
Expected Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the concept of terrorism financing and distinguish it from other financial crimes such as money laundering and proliferation financing.
- Describe the requirements of key FATF Recommendations on countering terrorism financing and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and sanctions regimes.
- Apply Ghana’s legal framework—including the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act—to identify, investigate, and prosecute terrorism financing offences.
- Analyse financial intelligence, including suspicious transaction reports and other financial data, to support terrorism financing investigations.
- Explain the operational procedures for suspicious transaction reporting, financial intelligence dissemination, and asset freezing of UN-listed persons in Ghana.
- Identify red flag indicators and risks of terrorism financing, including those related to virtual assets, non-profit organisations, and digital payment systems.
- Assess the role of the FATF risk-based approach in ensuring that counter-terrorism financing measures are effective and proportionate, including the protection of civil society and humanitarian activities.
- Develop actionable recommendations for strengthening counter-terrorism financing capabilities within their respective institutions.
Methodology
The course consists of eLearning modules followed by 3 days of in-person lectures, case studies, tabletop exercises and facilitated discussions. It emphasises peer learning and practical application to the Ghanaian and West African security environment.
The problem-based learning approach will be used in the delivery of the 3-day residential course. Participants will play active roles in the learning process under the supervised guidance of a team of experienced facilitators. The course content will thus be delivered using a combination of tools such as lectures, case studies, small group work exercises and table top exercise among others.
The course will be conducted in English.
Accommodation and feeding for participants will be covered by the KAIPTC. The course is funded by the Government of Germany. The course also forms part of a project to counter terrorism supported by the Government of Italy.
How to Apply
Completion of the eLearning modules is a pre-requisite for selection to the in-person course. Accordingly, all interested applicants must duly complete the required eLearning modules before they can be considered as participants for the 3-day residential course.
Closing Date for Completion of eLearning Modules: Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Dates for Residential Course: Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 November 2026.