UAE Presidency Of MENAFATF Focuses On Translating International Standards Into Measurable Outcomes

The UAE’s upcoming presidency of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) is framed as a practical push to improve global defences against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation. Hamid AlZaabi said the role comes as countries face new assessment cycles that judge real outcomes, which demands stronger technical readiness and lasting institutional capacity across the region.

AlZaabi stated that the UAE wants this mandate to reinforce a shared responsibility among MENAFATF members and partners. The focus is on joint work with regional and international bodies to strengthen systems combatting financial crime, and on building a cooperation model based on knowledge exchange, measurable impact and sustained improvement at national and regional levels.

Explaining MENAFATF’s function, AlZaabi described it as the regional platform that helps Middle East and North Africa countries align their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards. Established in 2004, the group now includes 21 member states with an estimated combined nominal GDP near US$3.5 trillion, forming part of the wider FATF-style regional body network.

AlZaabi said the overarching aim of the UAE’s MENAFATF presidency in 2026 is to reinforce frameworks combatting money laundering and terrorist financing, while producing tangible, trackable improvements. These improvements are expected to support the resilience of the global financial system. Lowering financial crime risks in the Middle East and North Africa is also seen as directly supporting stability, safety and economic prospects in member states.

AlZaabi set out a central objective for the UAE presidency: turning international rules into effective measures applied on the ground. This objective is organised into six main priorities, covering mutual evaluations support, governance reform, capacity building, deeper international cooperation, emerging risks such as virtual assets and artificial intelligence, and strengthening asset recovery and operational effectiveness across the region.

The six presidency priorities for MENAFATF anti-money laundering efforts can be summarised as follows.

He added that enhancing MENAFATF governance will include strengthening the Secretariat and updating internal processes. Attracting specialised technical experts to the Secretariat is planned to support member states before and during evaluations, and to improve the consistency and quality of implementation across different legal, regulatory and institutional environments.

MENAFATF anti-money laundering evaluations and capacity building

According to AlZaabi, capacity building and assessor qualification will be central during the coming phase. The presidency plans to help states prepare for mutual evaluations by boosting technical skills, upgrading understanding of assessment methodologies, and ensuring institutions can show effectiveness, not only formal compliance, when tested under the FATF-linked framework.

He pointed out that the group is entering a significant stage with the launch of MENAFATF’s third round of mutual evaluations, which follows FATF’s new fifth-round methodology. This methodology places stronger weight on practical outcomes. The UAE presidency aims to ensure members approach this phase with higher preparedness, better technical depth, and a clear view of what evaluators will expect to see in practice.

AlZaabi said a broad regional programme will support this, combining expanded technical assistance, specialised training courses and a new e-learning platform. The platform is expected to help countries run national risk assessments and apply standards more effectively. A regional accreditation scheme for assessors is also planned, to grow the pool of qualified experts and improve the credibility and comparability of evaluations across different jurisdictions.

MENAFATF anti-money laundering training centre and regional context

Among the prominent initiatives, AlZaabi confirmed support for creating a specialised regional training centre under the MENAFATF anti-money laundering agenda. The centre is designed to act as a hub for advanced technical training on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and counter-proliferation. It aims to raise national readiness and prepare professional cadres aligned with internationally recognised practices.

AlZaabi emphasised that MENAFATF’s strength lies in the diversity of its membership. It includes advanced financial centres, large emerging markets and countries with institutional constraints or special contexts. This mix allows different tools and approaches to be tried in varied real-world settings, which mirror many global challenges, and provides useful evidence on how standards work under different conditions.

He also highlighted that the Middle East and North Africa region holds a strategic position in the global economy. The region sits at the junction of major trade routes and capital flows, hosts large logistics hubs and has developing financial systems. Because of this, changes in the region’s defences against financial crime can influence financial integrity and stability far beyond regional borders.

MENAFATF anti-money laundering challenges, risks and asset recovery

Discussing key risks, AlZaabi noted that financial crime techniques continue to adapt quickly to new technologies, regulatory gaps and geopolitical pressures. He listed several persistent challenges for MENAFATF anti-money laundering work, including fast technology shifts, complex international cooperation processes and low rates of asset recovery, which keep pressure on authorities seeking to disrupt criminal networks and related funding channels.

The UAE presidency plans targeted initiatives to tackle these areas, with specific work on virtual assets, financial technology and artificial intelligence. Efforts will also focus on stronger asset tracing and confiscation, full activation of the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN), reinforcing beneficial ownership regimes and improving how targeted financial sanctions are implemented so that frameworks deliver real disruption.

The main challenge themes and planned MENAFATF anti-money laundering responses can be outlined as follows.

MENAFATF anti-money laundering support, research and UAE experience

AlZaabi underlined the role of universities and research institutes in supporting MENAFATF objectives. Academic work can supply specialised studies, expand scientific research and train professionals able to understand digital transformation, cybercrime risks, cybersecurity requirements and the complexities of virtual assets. This expertise is seen as important for keeping frameworks responsive to technological change.

Regarding support for member states implementing action plans related to FATF recommendations, AlZaabi stressed that high-level political commitment remains crucial. He said he will sustain direct engagement and on-the-ground visits to several countries, building on discussions held in recent months, to maintain momentum and ensure reforms move from planning to practical, lasting application.

He explained that MENAFATF adjusts its technical assistance to match members’ needs, offering specialised guidance, practical training and peer-to-peer cooperation. The stated goal is not limited to completing action plans. It also includes embedding reforms within national systems so that improvements in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures are durable and routinely applied.

AlZaabi also noted that the UAE has built an integrated national framework in recent years, including legislative updates, stronger institutional coordination and higher operational efficiency for relevant authorities. This national experience forms a reference point that the UAE plans to share through MENAFATF anti-money laundering work, helping other members reinforce their systems and prepare for upcoming assessment cycles.

Looking ahead to the UAE’s presidency of MENAFATF, AlZaabi presented a programme that links governance updates, capacity building, new training infrastructure and focused work on technology-driven risks. By combining regional cooperation, national experience and closer alignment with FATF methods, the presidency aims to deliver more effective controls against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation across the Middle East and North Africa.

With inputs from WAM