The official opening ceremony for the 47th graduating class of the West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB) took place on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. GMT, in Auditorium A of the Center.

Chaired by the Governor of the BCEAO, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the ceremony was attended by members of the Government, BCEAO management, training facilitators, COFEB executives, and students of the degree program.

During his introductory remarks, the General Manager of COFEB, Mahaman Tahir Hamani, outlined the training program for the future graduates, beginning with refresher courses on November 6, 2024, and continuing with first and second semester courses ending in July 2025. These courses are to be followed by a three-month practical internship, culminating in the writing and presentation of a final dissertation.

Reviewing the new group of auditors, the General Manager pointed out that it is composed of twenty-nine participants including twenty-seven from countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and two from the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB). There were three female auditors, representing a women’s participation rate of 10.3%. In terms of their organizations of origin, most of the auditors come from state economic and financial agencies.

Mr. Hamani went on to highlight the ongoing efforts made by the BCEAO to improve the living and learning conditions of auditors, as well as the projects launched to increase the visibility of the program.

He concluded by paying a tribute to three teachers whose collaboration with the Center came to an end in 2024, in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

In his speech, the Governor congratulated the auditors on their admission to the program following a highly selective process. He also commended the quality of the cooperation between the BCEAO and the Central Bank of the Republic of Burundi, which had enrolled two of its staff members in this year's program.

He reiterated the Central Bank's ongoing commitment to supporting all initiatives aimed at strengthening the capacities of officials from economic and financial agencies and partner central banks.

The Governor expressed his satisfaction with the accreditation of the COFEB Master's Degree in Finance and Banking Management by the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) in 2024. He also highlighted the implementation of the projects described by the General Manager of COFEB, intended to continuously improve the quality of training while enhancing the reputation of the Central Bank's training center.

The Governor encouraged the participants to be attentive and diligent in order to make the most of this training opportunity, which would enable them to meet the major challenges facing their organizations. He urged them to draw on the core values of the BCEAO by demonstrating discipline, dedication, and innovation. Finally, he urged the trainees to cultivate team spirit and uphold COFEB’s rules and regulations, while taking full advantage of this unique multicultural experience.

In closing, the Governor expressed his gratitude to the COFEB teaching staff and wished the participants good health, success, and personal fulfillment in 2025.

The ceremony ended with a group photo and a reception hosted by the Governor.