Liberia Intensifies Anti-Corruption Drive as AREPT, FIA Sign Landmark Asset Recovery Agreement

In a major step toward advancing the fight against corruption, the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) and the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on asset recovery and financial crime investigations. The MoU was signed in Monrovia during an official ceremony that brought together key stakeholders committed to promoting transparency and accountability in public service. This agreement is a cornerstone of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s broader national agenda to crack down on corruption and ensure the recovery of public funds illicitly obtained or misused. Speaking at the event, Mohammed Ali Nasser, Officer-in-Charge at the FIA, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working closely with AREPT to dismantle networks of financial crime. “The fight against corruption is not a one-agency task,” Nasser said. “This partnership is a demonstration of our shared resolve to identify predicate offenses, trace illicit flows, and ensure that stolen assets are brought back to benefit the Liberian people.” Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, Chairperson of AREPT, described the agreement as a pivotal development in Liberia’s anti-corruption landscape. He thanked the FIA for its proactive stance and emphasized that the MoU would pave the way for more coordinated efforts in tracking, investigating, and retrieving stolen property. “This MoU is not just paperwork it represents a new chapter in how we address corruption,” Cllr. Martin said. “President Boakai has made it clear: the time for excuses is over. We must now be the foot soldiers in this fight. The Liberian people are watching and expecting action.” Under the terms of the agreement, AREPT and FIA will collaborate on joint investigations, information and data sharing, and capacity building initiatives to improve the detection and prosecution of financial crimes. The partnership also enables the two institutions to work more efficiently with international partners and law enforcement networks to trace cross-border illicit financial flows. The MoU comes amid growing public demand for stronger anti-corruption mechanisms and more visible action against those who have misappropriated state resources. It signals a firm commitment from Liberia’s institutions to act decisively and collaboratively. This latest move strengthens the government’s anti-corruption drive and is expected to play a critical role in restoring public confidence and reinforcing rule of law across the country.