GIABA Director General leads high-level delegation to Liberia
A high-level delegation of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) is in Liberia, for a three-day official visit.
By: Naneka Hoffman
Monrovia, Liberia; August 12, 2025 – The Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Mr. Edwin W. Harris, Jr., is leading a high-level delegation to Liberia to engage Liberian authorities and stakeholders on strengthening the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.
The visit that runs from August 11-13, will also initiate planning for the upcoming 44th Plenary and Technical Commission Meeting of GIABA, scheduled to be held in Monrovia later this year.
Since the adoption of its Second-Round Mutual Evaluation Report (MER2) in May 2023, Liberia has made progress in addressing deficiencies in its AML/CFT/Countering Proliferation Financing (CPF) regime. Key achievements include: Enactment of the Control Drug and Substance Act of 2023; Adoption of beneficial ownership regulation and the National AML/CFT Action Plan (2024–2028) on August 5, 2024; Conduct of sectoral risk assessments; Establishment of the Office of Asset Recovery via Executive Orders No. 126 (2024) and No. 145 (2025) and Admission into the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, among others.
While Liberia received favorable ratings in some areas, it was placed under Enhanced Follow-Up by GIABA. The primary objective of this high-level mission is to sensitize political authorities about the November 2025 Plenary and begin preparations for the Third-Round Mutual Evaluation (MER3). Liberia’s MER3 is scheduled for adoption in November 2031.
In preparation, the country must implement reforms including: Extending money laundering investigations to foreign predicate offences; Criminalizing the financing of foreign terrorist fighters for planning or receiving terrorist training; Establishing frameworks for Targeted Financial Sanctions against Proliferation Financing (TFS-PF); Identifying non-profit organizations (NPOs) at risk of terrorist financing abuse and taking targeted preventive measures as well as Strengthening supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professionals (DNFBPs) and financial institutions for compliance.
Lead-up to MER3 will also involve capacity building for key agencies, stakeholder sensitization, the appointment of a National Coordinator, establishment of a National Mutual Evaluation Committee, and enhanced collaboration with the GIABA Secretariat efforts aimed at securing improved ratings.
During the mission, Mr. Harris will meet with high-ranking Liberian officials, including President Joseph N. Boakai, GIABA line ministers (Justice, Finance, Internal Affairs), the Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, the Officer-in-Charge of the Financial Intelligence Agency, the Inter-Ministerial Committee, and the National Coordination Team for Mutual Evaluation.
The GIABA 44th Plenary and Technical Commission Meeting will take place in Monrovia from November 17–21, 2025. In keeping with tradition, the opening session will feature addresses by President Boakai and Liberia’s three GIABA line ministers.
Beyond strengthening Liberia’s AML/CFT regime, hosting the GIABA Plenary is expected to boost the national economy and raise the country’s international profile. Liberia last hosted the Plenary in May 2017 during the 27th edition of the meeting. Editing by Jonathan Browne
