By: Julius Konton
The Officer-in-Charge of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) of Liberia Mohammed Nasser has reaffirmed the country’s “unwavering commitment” to the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
Mr. Nasser made the statement at the official opening the 44th Plenary Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Liberia and President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the FIA Officer-in-Charge welcomed delegates from across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), development partners, GIABA Secretariat officials, and representatives from international institutions.
He emphasized that the plenary provides a critical platform for strengthening coordination, sharing intelligence, and improving regional compliance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards, which continue to shape global Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.
GIABA, established in 2000 as a specialized ECOWAS institution, has played a strategic role in enhancing AML/CFT compliance in West Africa.
Its work has contributed to various reforms across member states, including Liberia’s recent efforts to modernize financial supervision, improve cross-border cooperation, and strengthen early warning systems against illicit financial flows.
The FIA Officer-in-Charge noted that the institution “stands as a pillar of coordination and knowledge-sharing” across the sub-region and remains instrumental in supporting member states to meet global AML/CFT benchmarks.
Highlighting Liberia’s progress, the FIA official reiterated the country’s dedication to the FATF framework and GIABA’s mutual evaluation process.
The plenary, he said, creates “another timely opportunity” for member countries to:
Enhance information-sharing among national and regional institutions
Improve risk assessment methodologies to better detect emerging threats
Strengthen supervisory mechanisms across the banking and non-banking sectors
Evaluate national compliance with FATF’s 40 Recommendations
“These are essential steps toward reinforcing institutional effectiveness and protecting our economies from illicit flows that undermine governance and development,” he said.
The Liberian official praised the “collective expertise and unwavering commitment” shown by GIABA member states and partners.
He stressed that regional unity remains critical, particularly at a time when West Africa continues to face rising vulnerabilities from terrorism financing, cyber-enabled fraud, and cross-border criminal networks.
“We are encouraged by the spirit of collaboration within the GIABA family,” he added, reaffirming Liberia’s full support to the Secretariat and all member institutions.
As Liberia hosts the high-level gathering, the FIA Officer-in-Charge extended warm appreciation to all delegates, expressing hope that the plenary will deliver practical, results-driven outcomes.
