The United Arab Emirates, through the General Secretariat of the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and the Financing of Weapons Proliferation, 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 engaged in the work of the Financial Action Task Force’s International Co-operation Review Group (FATF ICRG), which oversees the identification of jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in their Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) systems. Seven national delegations took part in the workshop and meetings, receiving support with their 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 agenda followed a structured, face-to-face format aligned with the FATF Immediate Outcomes methodology applied within the ICRG process. Discussions examined effectiveness across the full AML/CFT system, including national risk understanding and policy coordination, risk-based supervision and preventive measures, financial intelligence and its use by competent authorities, money laundering and terrorist financing investigations and prosecutions, asset freezing, seizure and confiscation, international cooperation, targeted financial sanctions, and the availability and accuracy of beneficial ownership information.
Hosting the workshop formed part of the UAE’s broader MENAFATF Presidency programme, which prioritises regional readiness for upcoming evaluation cycles, consistency in the application of FATF standards, and closer coordination between regional and global AML/CFT mechanisms. By convening experts from Europe and the MENA region, the UAE reinforced cross-regional cooperation and contributed to strengthening the integrity of the global financial system.
