Monrovia, Liberia – A team from Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority’s (NRA) Customs Administration is in Liberia for an experience-building visit to the Liberia Revenue Authority’s (LRA) Customs Department. This visit demonstrates the two organizations’ growing collaboration and draws attention to the LRA’s expertise in improving customs procedures throughout the region.
Customs Commissioner Saa Saamoi greeted the team and reaffirmed the LRA Customs Department’s commitment to share Liberia’s expertise at an opening engagement at the LRA headquarters in Paynesville. As sister countries, Liberia and Sierra Leone must support one another to increase regional and cross-border commerce, Saamoi said.
The Sierra Leone Customs Administration’s Assistant Commissioner for Border Control and control, John B. Amara, expressed his satisfaction at being in Liberia to work with and learn from the LRA in order to improve cross-border commerce and reinforce border control.
The visit is a component of a larger agreement between Sierra Leone and Liberia to improve information sharing, compliance enforcement, and customs-to-customs cooperation at shared borders.
The LRA and NRA’s cooperation has already produced notable outcomes; on many instances, the LRA has intercepted and returned a number of smuggled items from Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, via setup, training, and operational assistance, the LRA has been instrumental in bolstering the NRA’s customs infrastructure, particularly the deployment of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).
The success of earlier high-level meetings, such as the 2022 Liberia-Sierra Leone-Guinea Customs Meeting in Conakry, which set the stage for closer cooperation in border security, trade facilitation, and intelligence sharing among the three Mano River Union nations, is being followed by this visit.
The continued interactions show how dedicated both organizations are to promoting smooth commerce and eliminating illegal activity that jeopardizes financial stability. Engagements targeted at enhancing border efficiency and collaboration are part of the four-day experience-sharing program. Key LRA Customs personnel are consulted, and presentations on best practices, compliance enforcement, and customs operations are shared.
In order to evaluate operational difficulties and the mitigating measures put in place by the LRA to improve border management, the delegation will also pay a courtesy visit to the Sierra Leonean Ambassador assigned to Liberia and conduct a daylong field visit to the Liberia-Sierra Leone border at Bo-Waterside.
Discussions on best practices, a field visit feedback session, and tactical suggestions for improved collaboration will round out the educational process.
The visiting delegation from the Sierra Leone NRA Customs Administration includes John B. Amara, Assistant Commissioner for Border Control and Management; Ibrahim B. Turay, Assistant Director for Legal and Corporate Affairs; Munjiru Kallon, Manager of Jendema Border Crossing Point; Matin Farmer, Assistant Revenue Officer at Gbalamuya Crossing Point; and Sahr A.K. Lamin, Manager of Public Affairs and Tax Education, among others.
The LRA remains committed to fostering strong partnerships with regional customs administrations to ensure efficient revenue collection, enhanced trade facilitation, and a robust customs enforcement system. This engagement is a testament to the LRA’s dedication to promoting regional integration, economic growth, and cross-border security.
