MONROVIA– The African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC) has concluded a four-day regional training on Asset Recovery and Illicit Financial Flows in Monrovia.
The training was held under the theme: “Implementing CAPAR and Curbing Illicit Financial Flows: Finding the Owner,” and brought together anti-corruption experts, investigators and financial intelligence actors from across the region.
The African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption is an autonomous organ of the African Union, established to promote and encourage the adoption of measures and actions to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption on the continent.
The training, hosted in collaboration with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), was designed to strengthen practical capacity in tackling complex financial crimes. Key focus areas included financial and cybercrime investigations, digital evidence collection and management, asset tracing, freezing and confiscation, mutual legal assistance, and the identification of ultimate beneficial owners.
Delivering the opening statement, LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe warmly welcomed the AUABC delegation to Liberia. She noted that corruption and its proceeds increasingly transcend national borders and are concealed through complex financial and ownership structures.
Cllr. Zoe emphasized that Illicit Financial Flows remain one of the most serious impediments to Africa’s development, depriving the continent of resources needed for growth and undermining governance. She stressed the need for strengthened regional cooperation, intelligence sharing and harmonized legal frameworks to effectively recover stolen assets.
Speaking on behalf of the AUABC, Board Member Madam Erica Tshenolo Ndlovu thanked the Government of Liberia and the LACC for hosting the training and for the warm hospitality extended to the delegation. She reaffirmed the AUABC’s commitment to supporting Member States in implementing the Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR).
For his part, German Ambassador to Liberia, Carsten Hølscher, highlighted Germany’s continued support to anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts through GIZ. He disclosed that Germany is providing technical expertise and resource persons to strengthen regional asset recovery mechanisms and support the implementation of CAPAR across the continent.
Meanwhile, the Officer-in-Charge of the Financial Intelligence Agency of Liberia (FIA), Mohammed Ali Nasser, described the regional training as timely and crucial for intelligence sharing and cross-border cooperation. He expressed keen interest in the exercise and pledged the FIA’s full engagement.
Mr. Nasser said the training directly promotes the FIA’s core activities as the country’s financial intelligence agency in the fight against waste, abuse and financial crimes. He noted that the Agency will leverage the knowledge gained to enhance its capacity to trace illicit assets, identify beneficial owners, and provide actionable financial intelligence to law enforcement and other competent authorities.
The opening ceremony brought together senior representatives from key Liberian integrity institutions, including the Solicitor General of the Republic of Liberia, the Chairman of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce, the Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority, and the Officer-in-Charge of the Financial Intelligence Agency, among others.
The training is expected to boost Liberia’s and the region’s ability to curb illicit financial flows, recover stolen assets and strengthen accountability in line with continental anti-corruption standards.