The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has launched a high-level advocacy mission to Liberia as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.

The mission, which runs from Monday, August 11 to Wednesday, August 13, is in preparation for the 44th Plenary and Technical Commission meeting scheduled to hold in Monrovia from November 17 to 21, 2025. According to a statement from GIABA’s Secretariat in Dakar, the visit aims to engage political authorities, mobilise key stakeholders, and support Liberia in addressing gaps in its Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework.

GIABA emphasized that the fight against financial crimes is a collective responsibility and said its engagement with Liberia is intended to strengthen the country’s legal, institutional, and operational capacity in line with international standards. It warned that although Liberia has made notable strides since the adoption of its Second-Round Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) in May 2023, further reforms are needed.

Following the 2023 MER, Liberia was placed under Enhanced Follow-Up due to mixed effectiveness ratings. The country has since passed the Control Drug and Substance Act, 2023, adopted beneficial ownership regulations, approved a national AML/CFT action plan for 2024–2028, established the Office of Asset Recovery, joined the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, and provided resources to key agencies.

However, GIABA noted that Liberia must still criminalize the financing of foreign terrorist fighters, enhance supervision of financial and non-financial sectors, identify non-profit organizations vulnerable to terrorist abuse, and align its AML/CFT laws with updated Financial Action Task Force standards ahead of its Third-Round MER in 2031.

The mission is being led by GIABA’s Director General, Edwin Harris Jnr., who is expected to hold meetings with President Joseph Boakai, relevant ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, and members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee.

The upcoming Plenary will feature addresses by President Boakai and other high-level political leaders. GIABA noted that beyond strengthening regional security cooperation, the event will offer economic and visibility benefits for Liberia, which last hosted the Plenary in May 2017.