FIA Launches 5-Year Strategic Plan-Tokpa Hails Agency Strategic Plan Launch

MONROVIA – The Financial Intelligence Agency of Liberia (FIA) on Tuesday launched its Strategic Plan for 2026 to 2031. Governance Commission Acting Chairman Alaric K. Tokpa headlined the launch at FIA headquarters in Monrovia. Tokpa said the agency safeguards Liberia’s financial system from corruption and illicit flows. He linked the FIA’s mandate to Pillar Four of the ARREST Agenda. Tokpa praised FIA Director General Hon. Mohammed A. Nasser for restoring the institution’s credibility. Deputy Director General Amos Y. Boakai called the plan a national commitment, not just a roadmap. Former Financial Intelligence Unit Director Alex Cuffey said the plan supports public financial management. Thirty-five participants attended the launch, including the national Inter-Ministerial Committee. THE ANALYST reports.

In an effort to safeguard the country’s financial system against waste and abuse, Governance Commission of Liberia Acting Chairman Alaric K. Tokpa spoke Tuesday during the official launch of the Financial Intelligence Agency of Liberia (FIA) Strategic Plan for 2026-2031.

According to Tokpa, the FIA is charged with the solemn duty of protecting the nation’s financial system from corruption, illicit flows, and criminal exploitation, noting that the agency stands as a central pillar within Liberia’s governance arrangement.

He explained that, guided by its mission to protect Liberia’s financial integrity for the advancement of national, regional, and global peace and economic stability, the agency embodies a vision of becoming a well-equipped institution dedicated to effective anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.

Tokpa stated that, in fulfilling this mandate, the FIA cannot only fortify Liberia’s credibility but also ensure that governance remains transparent, accountable, and aligned with international standards.

FIA Tied To ARREST Agenda

Tokpa said the FIA is not merely an institution of compliance but a guardian of integrity whose work directly advances Pillar Four, the Governance and Anti-Corruption Pillar of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).

“By monitoring financial flows, enforcing accountability, and aligning Liberia with international standards, the Agency ensures that the foundations of governance remain credible, transparent, and resilient. Its mandate is therefore indispensable, not only for safeguarding Liberia’s financial integrity but also for reinforcing public trust and affirming that state institutions serve the people with honesty and accountability,” Tokpa asserted.

“The FIA is reclaiming its rightful place and performing its rightful role. On this occasion, therefore, the Governance Commission family and all Pillar Four institutions of the AAID join me to applaud the FIA, under the able leadership of Hon. Mohammed A. Nasser, for restoring the image of this noble institution,” the Governance Commission Acting Chairman stressed.

He lauded the FIA for commencing enforcement of sanctions against non-compliant institutions, issuing warnings to entities that violate regulations, and initiating probes into irregularities across sectors, saying these actions demonstrate that the agency is once again aligned with its founding mandate.

“Equally important is the FIA’s collaboration with regional and international bodies such as the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units,” Tokpa added.

He noted that these partnerships are essential because most of the damaging financial crimes are transnational in nature, since money laundering, terrorist financing, and illicit flows do not respect borders.

Plan Called A National Covenant

According to Tokpa, the launch of the Strategic Plan is more than a formality; it is a covenant with the Liberian people. He explained that it signals that governance will be transparent, institutions will be accountable, and progress will be measurable, noting that by tying the FIA’s work to the government’s performance management contract, reforms are not only promised but tracked, reported, and evaluated. Tokpa emphasized that this occasion is important not only for the FIA but also for Liberia as a whole, speaking to the country’s collective responsibility to protect the integrity of its financial system, strengthen public trust, advance national security, and support inclusive economic growth.

He explained that financial intelligence is central to governance, helping the state identify illicit financial flows, money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, fraud, and other activities that weaken institutions and rob citizens of development opportunities. Tokpa noted that when criminal networks misuse the financial system, they do more than move money illegally; they undermine public revenue, distort markets, weaken legitimate businesses, threaten national security, and reduce confidence in the state.

The Acting Chairman reiterated that the FIA’s mission is to protect Liberia’s financial system from abuse by criminals and to promote national, regional, and global peace and economic stability, a mission he said is deeply aligned with the Governance and Anti-Corruption pillar of the ARREST Agenda.

As Pillar Four chairperson, Tokpa said he views the FIA’s work as a key part of Liberia’s governance reform architecture, stressing that anti-corruption work cannot succeed through pronouncements and slogans alone but requires evidence, strong institutions, proper coordination, professionalism, and the courage to follow facts wherever they lead.

Tokpa explained that the Strategic Plan gives the FIA a roadmap for the years ahead, seeking to enhance financial intelligence effectiveness, strengthen interagency cooperation, deepen stakeholder engagement, and build institutional capacity.

He cautioned, however, that a strategic plan is not successful simply because it is launched; it becomes successful when it is implemented, resourced, monitored, reported on, and adjusted when necessary, and when the public can see measurable progress.

He urged all agencies of government to treat the Strategic Plan as a shared responsibility. “Let us move away from institutional silos — that territorial institutional mentality — to national coordination. Let us move away from fragmented efforts to measurable results. Let us move away from mere aspiration to implementation,” he said.

Tokpa concluded by expressing hope that the plan will become a living instrument for integrity, security, economic growth, and political stability, affirming that the Governance Commission stands ready to continue its collaboration with the FIA.

FIA, Partners Echo Commitment

Also speaking at the program, FIA Deputy Director General Amos Y. Boakai explained that the agency’s Strategic Plan for 2026-2031 will greatly help protect Liberia’s financial system from abuse.

“This Strategic Plan represents far more than an institutional roadmap. It is a national commitment to building stronger systems, fostering greater collaboration among stakeholders, and enhancing Liberia’s capacity to detect, prevent, and disrupt illicit financial flows. It aligns with the Government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and reinforces our determination to promote transparency, accountability, and sound economic governance,” Boakai pointed out.

For his part, FIA Technical Focal Person for Program and Planning Micheal S. Doe narrated that the Strategic Plan was developed through an inclusive internal process drawing on a thorough analysis of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) landscape, FATF international standards, and the AAID.

He said the objectives are to officially unveil the FIA Strategic Direction for 2026-2031, communicate its priorities and goals, and strengthen stakeholder awareness regarding the agency’s strategic direction.

Former Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Liberia, now the FIA, Alex Cuffey underscored the importance of the strategic plan in strengthening Liberia’s public financial management and governance framework.

“The FIA strategic plan is important as Liberia is strengthening public financial management, governance framework, mobilizing domestic resources, attracting investment, and ensuring sustainable economic growth,” Cuffey stated, noting that an effective AML/CFT regime is essential to recovering, protecting, and channeling public resources into education, health, infrastructure, energy, and agriculture.

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, through its Senior Advisor to the Minister, said the successful implementation of the Strategic Plan will yield significant benefits, including enhanced inter-agency cooperation, strengthened financial intelligence capabilities, improved support for asset recovery, and stronger alignment with FATF and GIABA evaluation processes.

The Ministry added that adequate resources and political commitment will be critical to the plan’s success, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the FIA in fulfilling its mandate.

Thirty-five participants, including members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, competent authorities, and reporting entities, attended the launch ceremony at the FIA’s headquarters.

The five-year roadmap aims to enhance financial intelligence effectiveness, strengthen interagency cooperation, deepen stakeholder engagement, and build institutional capacity, and was developed through an inclusive internal process drawing on analysis of the AML/CFT landscape and international standards set by the FATF and the AAID.