Tokyo 2025
MENAFATF proudly participated in the 2025 APG Annual Meeting and Technical Assistance Forum in Tokyo. MENAFATF President Ms. Samya Abou Sharif and MENAFATF’s Vice President Mr. Hamid Alzaabi and the Executive Secretary Mr. Suliman Aljibrin joined the FATF-Style Regional Body APG Secretariat at Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)’s Annual Meeting.
The APG Pleanery Meeting was inaugurated under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Katsunobu Kato – Minister of Finance in Japan followed by insightful speeches from distinguished speakers; Mr. Mitsutoshi Kajikawa, APG Co-Chair, Ms. Elisa de Anda Madraze, FATF President, Dr. Chris Black, APG Executive Secretary and MENAFATF President Ms. Samya Abou Sharif, they collectively emphasized progress achieved and shared powerful reflections on progress, partnerships, and resilience.
Delegates from 41 member jurisdictions, three observer jurisdictions and 10 observer organisations have gathered to discuss the most pressing issues relating to the fight against illicit finance.
President Ms. Samya Abou Sharif on behalf of the MENAFATF extended sincere appreciation to the APG Secretariat and the Japanese authorities for the warm welcome, hospitality and excellent organization.
MENAFATF actively contributed in the 2025 APG Annual Meeting, by participating with strategic input in multiple panel discussions and sharing regional expertise including the UAE’s experience that shows high level political leadership is the foundation of every successful AML/CFT system.
MENAFATF’s engagement in the meetings showcased its strategic priorities for 2025–2026 that is led jointly by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, including readiness for the third round of mutual evaluations, investment in expert assessors, and enhance technical support aligned with global standards. Ms. Abou Sharif also reaffirmed the longstanding collaboration with APG through joint typologies, shared assessments, and mutual evaluation reviews.
MENAFATF continues to play a vital role within the FATF Global Network, demonstrating how regional bodies can amplify the effectiveness of international efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.