At the conclusion of its 41st Plenary Meeting in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, the MENAFATF formally announced that the United Arab Emirates will assume the presidency of the regional body beginning January 2026.
The week-long Plenary session saw extensive participation that had high-level delegations from member states, various observers, and international partners who came together for focused deliberations on intensifying cooperation to counter financial crimes such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.
Key working sessions held during the Plenary included the Financial Intelligence Units Forum, the Risk Committee, the Operational Forum on Terrorist Financing, the Mutual Evaluation Working Group, and the Technical Assistance and Typologies Working Group.
With the conclusion of the Plenary, MENAFATF confirmed UAE’s presidency for 2026, along with its responsibility to chair the group’s Technical Committee on Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS) Implementation and Sanctions Evasion for 2026–2027.
Under the UAE’s leadership, Hamid AlZaabi — Secretary-General and Vice-Chair of the UAE National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Proliferation Committee (NAMLCFTPFC) — will serve as President of MENAFATF. In addition, Talal Al Teneiji, Director of the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation, will chair the aforementioned TFS Technical Committee.
Significance of the Appointment
MENAFATF, established in 2004, is the FATF-style regional body for the Middle East and North Africa, gathering 21 member states committed to aligning with global anti–money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CFT), and counter-proliferation financing (CPF) standards.
By entrusting the UAE with leadership, members signal enduring confidence in its regulatory framework, institutional capacity, and strategic vision for regional financial integrity. The appointment puts UAE at the forefront of shaping MENAFATF’s direction from risk-based assessments to governance reforms, and from enforcement collaboration to sanctions implementation.
Strategic Priorities under UAE’s Presidency
During the Plenary, the groundwork was laid for the key priorities to guide MENAFATF under UAE’s presidency. The focus will include:
- Increasing regional cooperation and coordination among member states, international and regional partners to ensure a unified front against illicit financial activities.
- Empowering the MENAFATF Secretariat with adequate resources and support, enabling the organization to deliver meaningful, lasting impact across the region.
- Preparing member states for upcoming mutual evaluations, specifically the fifth round of assessments so that respective AML/CFT/CPF systems meet global standards and are ready for review.
- Strengthening the group’s governance framework, enhancing clarity, transparency, effectiveness of procedures, and adherence to the broader recommendations of the international standard-setting body Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
- Focusing on risk identification and typologies, to better understand evolving patterns of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing thereby enabling more effective preventative and investigative frameworks.
In addition, through its leadership of the Technical Committee on TFS and Sanctions Evasion, the UAE will play a pivotal role in ensuring that regional implementation of targeted financial sanctions (e.g. against terror actors, sanctioned entities) is stringent, consistent, and in accordance with global obligations.
Broader Context: UAE’s Ongoing Efforts & Regional Cooperation
The UAE’s ascendancy to the MENAFATF presidency comes at a time when regional partnership and global compliance are undergoing renewed emphasis. Notably, on the sidelines of the Plenary, the UAE and Bahrain signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing efforts.
This MoU sets out shared commitments like developing regulatory and risk-based supervisory tools aligned with FATF standards, exchanging expertise and best practices, conducting joint training and awareness programmes, and establishing joint task forces to manage cross-border financial crime threats.
Such steps reinforce the UAE’s commitment to building a coordinated, resilient regional framework that can adapt to emerging risks from money laundering to weapons proliferation financing.
From the UAE’s perspective, leading MENAFATF offers an opportunity to consolidate reforms already underway domestically. In recent years, the nation has strengthened its AML/CFT/CPF regulations, institutional oversight, and enforcement mechanisms to align with international norms.
Assuming MENAFATF’s presidency thus anchors the UAE’s global and regional ambition, to not only protect its own financial system but also guide regional efforts for a more transparent, secure, and crime-resistant financial architecture.
Expectations & What Lies Ahead
Over the next year under UAE’s presidency, member states, observers, and international partners can expect:
- Enhanced coordination and communication between states to detect, prevent, and respond collectively to illicit financial flows.
- More structured support and resources for the MENAFATF Secretariat, enabling effective rollout of technical assistance, typologies research, and risk assessments.
- Accelerated preparation for the fifth round of mutual evaluations, with member states receiving guidance and support to meet FATF standards.
- Strong emphasis on sanctions implementation and evasion prevention via the TFS technical committee, raising compliance and enforcement consistency across jurisdictions.
- Continued regional collaboration, especially between UAE and Bahrain, serving as a template for cooperation among other member states.
For the region at large, a proactive UAE-led MENAFATF could mean tighter controls against money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing, contributing to regional stability, economic integrity, and alignment with global financial norms.
The announcement at the 41st MENAFATF Plenary that the UAE will chair the regional body beginning January 2026 highlights a key moment for financial-crime prevention in the Middle East and North Africa. With capable leadership, reinforced cooperation frameworks, and a clear strategic agenda, the UAE’s presidency of MENAFATF promises a renewed push toward safeguarding regional financial systems and boosting collective resilience against money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation risks. As global and regional threats evolve, the strength of institutions like MENAFATF under committed leadership will be vital in preserving the integrity of national and cross-border financial networks, and in maintaining trust, transparency, and security in the region’s financial architecture.
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