Source : WAM
The United Arab Emirates, through the General Secretariat of the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and the Financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction, hosted a workshop for the Middle East and Europe Joint Working Group of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) from 5th to 9th January in Abu Dhabi.
The workshop brought together international experts and practitioners involved in the Financial Action Task Force’s International Co-operation Review Group (FATF ICRG), which monitors jurisdictions with strategic gaps in their Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) systems. Seven national delegations participated, receiving guidance on tailored, time-bound action plans.
Hamed Saif Al Zaabi, Secretary General, Vice Chairman of the National Committee and Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), stated, “This Eurasia–MENA Joint Group workshop provided a rigorous, technically focused platform aligned with the FATF Immediate Outcomes framework. As MENAFATF President, the UAE was committed to supporting a consistent and high-quality ICRG process that helps jurisdictions translate action plans into measurable improvements in effectiveness, underpinned by strong political ownership and sustained technical engagement.”
The workshop agenda followed a structured, in-person format aligned with the FATF Immediate Outcomes methodology used in the ICRG process. Discussions assessed effectiveness across the entire AML/CFT framework, including national risk assessment and policy coordination, risk-based supervision and preventive measures, financial intelligence and its use by authorities, money laundering and terrorist financing investigations and prosecutions, asset freezing, seizure and confiscation, international cooperation, targeted financial sanctions, and the accuracy and accessibility of beneficial ownership information.
Hosting this workshop is part of the UAE’s broader MENAFATF Presidency programme, which focuses on regional readiness for upcoming evaluation cycles, uniform application of FATF standards, and closer coordination between regional and global AML/CFT mechanisms. By bringing together experts from Europe and the MENA region, the UAE strengthened cross-regional cooperation and contributed to enhancing the integrity of the global financial system.
