LIBERIA: LRA, OECD/UNDP To Launch Tax Crime Investigation Initiative Thursday

The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) is set to host a one-day High-level Hybrid launch of the OECD/UNDP Tax Inspectors Without Borders for Criminal Investigations (TIWB-CI) program on Thursday, April 4th, at its headquarters in Paynesville.

The TIWB-CI program, a collaborative initiative spearheaded by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), aims to bolster the capacity of tax administrations in tackling tax crimes through the dissemination of knowledge and best practices.

Central to this initiative is a self-assessment exercise employing the OECD Tax Crime Investigation Maturity Model (Maturity Model), offering a comprehensive framework to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of tax crime investigation practices.

In concert with various law enforcement agencies and competent authorities, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, Ministry of Justice, and Financial Intelligence Unit, the LRA endeavors to foster robust inter-agency collaboration, enhancing the nation’s capacity for tax crime investigations.

During Thursday’s launch, LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah will indicate the LRA’s commitments to the TIWB-CI project and its pivotal role in empowering Liberia to combat illicit financial activities, thereby bolstering domestic resource mobilization endeavors.

The hybrid format of the event will enable both local and international participants, including domestic law enforcement and financial crimes agencies in Liberia, to participate either in-person at the LRA premises or via Zoom, facilitated by the OECD.

Following the launch, an introductory session will convene for all participants, wherein the OECD will acquaint them with the TIWB-CI program, its objectives, and the forthcoming self-assessment workshop scheduled for the following week.

Slated to take place from the 8th to the 11th of April 2024 in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, this workshop assumes paramount significance in fortifying the requisite capacity for effective tax crime investigations. It underscores our unwavering commitment to combat tax crimes effectively and foster international cooperation through the OECD and UNDP partnership.

Facilitated by Olivia Okello, boasting extensive experience in criminal investigations and intelligence garnered from the Kenya Revenue Authority, the workshop will further endeavor to evaluate Liberia’s tax crime regime, representing the nation’s active engagement in the joint OECD-UNDP TIWB-CI.

The TIWB-CI program, tailored to provide technical assistance, aims to fortify jurisdictions’ tax crime frameworks and expedite the resolution of tax crime cases, including through real-time support on intricate investigations.

Adopting a ‘whole of government’ approach to combat illicit financial flows, each agency’s involvement assumes critical importance in ensuring the program’s success in Liberia.