ABOUT GIABA
Executive Leadership
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Mr. Edwin W. HARRIS Jr.
Director General - Intergovernmental Action Group
Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA)
Born in 1974, Mr. Edwin W. HARRIS Jr. assumed duty as Director General of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) on 1st August 2022. He was appointed at the helm of the Community Institution based in Dakar, Senegal, by Decision C/DEC.7/07/22.
Mr. HARRIS Jr. holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Northeastern University in Boston, USA, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Strayer University in Woodbridge, Virginia, United States and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Economics and Political Science from the University of Liberia.
The Director General of GIABA has over sixteen (16) years of progressive experience in the public sector and in non-profit structures with in-depth knowledge and skills in governance, transparency and financial crimes. He has relevant skills on issues relating to governance, in the fight against money laundering, in the formulation of policies and the implementation of anti-corruption strategies.
From November 2019 to July 2022, Mr. HARRIS Jr. was Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Liberia. Under his tenure and to his credit, he, among other things, successfully coordinated the validation and publication of Liberia's National Risk Assessment (NRA) report. He rebranded the image of the FIU into a more functional, independent, efficient and staff-driven anti-corruption agency, with a high level of integrity, ethics, professionalism to establish leadership within the national institution. He implemented the culture of coordination and cooperation among law enforcement agencies, including relevant authorities for intelligence information sharing. This resulted in Liberia's first-ever money laundering confiscation and three indictments for the crime of money laundering. It wase also under his tenure that AML/CFT regulation was introduced for Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) in Liberia.
Since May 2022 until his assumption of duty at GIABA, Mr. HARRIS Jr was a Lecturer at the University of Liberia. He delivered courses in Public Administration 211 (course on the System of Public Administration), in Public Administration 417 (course on Policy Design and Formulation) and shared his experiences with students.
As National Director of the Expertise Office of the Center Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Liberia (CAMTEFIL), from November 2012 to September 2015, Mr. HARRIS Jr provided strategic leadership for the entire program and staff. In this position, he also led the advocacy to make drug abuse a public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue by representing a select group of Liberian civil society organizations on the West Africa Commission's Working Committee on Drugs Reform.
From September 2010 to October 2012, Mr. HARRIS Jr. served as Director of Government Affairs in the Government Affairs Department of the General Auditing Commission (GAC). Under his leadership, Global Integrity ranked the GAC as the best performing government institution in Liberia.
Having served as Director of the Liberia-FIU, National Correspondent and current President of the Forum of FIUs of Member States and now Director General of GIABA, Mr. HARRIS Jr has an in-depth knowledge of the Community Institution he will be manning for the next four (4) years. Describing himself as a transformative and result-oriented leader, Mr. HARRIS Jr has proven expertise in managerial and strategic leadership in administration, finance and human resource management. He says he is inclined to provide mentoring and coaching to the staff under his supervision for greater efficiency.
He also has interpersonal skills and demonstrates tolerance for others to express their views and opinions. Honest and leading by example, Mr. HARRIS Jr uses the accountability tool to adopt remedial measures in preventing reputational risks for the institution and staff.
Mr. HARRIS Jr is a distinguished member of the Association of Certified/Accredited Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), with the designation of a Certified/Accredited Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), and also a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiner and holds the Certified Fraud Examiner designation (CFE).
As a dedicated Pan-Africanist and progressive personality, Mr. HARRIS Jr. believes in the redemption of Africa through its unity. He is married and father of four (4) children.