WCO Mission Assesses Liberia’s Readiness for International AEO Customs Program

MONROVIA, LIBERIA — Liberia is moving closer to introducing an internationally recognized Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Program following the completion of a week-long diagnostic mission by the World Customs Organization (WCO).

The assessment, conducted in collaboration with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), focused on determining the country’s readiness to establish an AEO framework that meets international customs and trade facilitation standards.

The mission was carried out under the WCO’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program with funding from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom.

The AEO initiative is expected to strengthen cooperation between Customs and legitimate businesses by providing greater facilitation to traders that demonstrate a strong record of compliance and supply-chain security.

For Liberia, the program is also being viewed as an important step toward improving cargo clearance, strengthening border controls, increasing compliance and making the country more attractive to businesses engaged in regional and international trade.

Assistant Commissioner for Customs Port Operations at the LRA, Edwin F. Kendema, commended the WCO team for providing technical expertise and practical guidance during the assessment.

Kendema reaffirmed the LRA’s commitment to working with the WCO, the private sector and other stakeholders to close identified gaps and move the AEO initiative toward implementation.

WCO Trade Facilitation Expert Yasmeen Elahi said the diagnostic exercise provided an opportunity to examine Liberia’s existing Trusted Traders Program against internationally recognized AEO standards.

According to Elahi, the assessment identified areas requiring further improvement while also drawing on international best practices that could help Liberia strengthen and align its existing program with global AEO requirements.

She praised LRA Customs officers for their professionalism and participation throughout the mission, expressing confidence that Liberia can establish an AEO program capable of delivering long-term benefits to both Customs and the business community.

Representatives of the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program, Angelina Yurkova and David Tanenbaum, also commended participants for their engagement during the week and pledged the organization’s continued technical support as Liberia works toward full implementation.

The mission also benefited from the expertise of Nnenna Ugo-Awa of the Nigeria Customs Service, who served as an AEO expert during the exercise.

The AEO initiative forms part of the LRA’s wider customs modernization efforts, which seek to improve border management, facilitate legitimate commerce, strengthen compliance and enhance supply-chain security.

Once fully operational, the program is expected to allow compliant traders to benefit from faster and more predictable customs procedures, while helping authorities focus greater attention on higher-risk consignments.

The initiative could ultimately strengthen Liberia’s position as a trusted and competitive trading partner within the ECOWAS region.