OUAGADOUGOU — Burkina Faso's General Directorate of Tourism (DGT) has called on local tourism stakeholders, including hoteliers, restaurateurs, and travel operators, to strengthen their efforts in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to Burkina Information Agency, head of the DGT, a meeting held Tuesday focused on educating the tourism sector about their crucial role in preventing financial crimes. The meeting aimed to familiarize stakeholders with the legal and institutional frameworks in place to combat these illicit activities. "The session was designed to equip them with the necessary tools to detect and prevent money laundering, thereby helping to cut off funding for terrorism affecting the region," said Ouédraogo.

Kadré Sawadogo, director of regulation and control at the DGT, outlined the 14 obligations that the tourism and hotel industry must adhere to. These include vigilance and control measures, documentation preservation, and reporting suspicious activities to the national financial information unit. Sawadogo emphasized the importance of both financial and non-financial sectors working diligently to ensure their services are not exploited for illegal purposes.