MENAFATF Advisory Committee held its first meeting in 2026, held over two days on 12 and 13 January in Abu Dhabi, chaired by H.E. Hamid Al Zaabi, President of MENAFATF. The agenda for the first day included visits to the Emirates Institute for Financial Studies and the Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy, highlighting the importance of capacity building, reviewing governance and regulatory enhancement mechanisms, and exchanging expertise.

The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) is pleased to welcome H.E. Mr. Hamid Saif Al Zaabi as President of MENAFATF for 2026, and H.E. Sheikha May bint Mohammed Al Khalifa as Vice President, wishing them every success in continuing to strengthen the MENAFATF’s role at the regional level.

As part of the 3rd round of the mutual evaluation process and in preparation for the upcoming mutual evaluation of the Kingdom of Morocco’s national system for Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF), a delegation from the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) conducted an official visit to Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, on 27 November 2025. The delegation included H.E. Ms. Samya Abou Sharif, President of the MENAFATF; H.E. Mr. Hamid Al Zaabi, Vice President of the MENAFATF; H.E. Mr.

The MENAFATF 41st Plenary Meeting and its associated Working Groups Meetings concluded Thursday, 13 November 2025, in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The two-day Meeting was chaired by Ms. Samia Abu Sharif, MENAFATF President, Member of the National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorist Financing, and Head of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating  Terrorist Financing Unit in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (“FIU”), and Mr.

The MENAFATF 41st Plenary commenced this morning, Wednesday, 12 November 2025, in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The two-day meeting is chaired by Ms. Samia Abu Sharif, President of the MENAFATF, Member of the National AML/CFT Committee, and Head of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s FIU, and Mr. Hamed Al Zaabi, Vice-President of the MENAFATF, Secretary-General, and Vice-Chair of the National AML/CFT Committee in the United Arab Emirates.

The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) launched in Manama this morning the Seminar on “Public–Private Partnership for Implementing Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS)”, generously hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain with cooperation of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and participation of experts from member countries.

Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) in cooperation with the World Gold Council (WGC) held a workshop today on the misuse of the gold sector for money laundering and terrorist financing.

The workshop was attended by nearly 200 participants, representing financial intelligence units, judicial authorities, law enforcement agencies, and supervisory bodies from member countries.

22-26 September 2025 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The regional workshop on “Risk-Based Approach and Risk Assessment Mechanisms for Financial Institutions” kicked off this morning, organized by the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) in cooperation with the Arab Monetary Fund and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), with the participation of experts from member countries, observers and conducted in AMF headquarter in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Central Bank Governors of MENAFATF members met for the first time, coinciding with the start of the third round of mutual evaluations of AML/CFT/PF in the region, and providing support to MENAFATF and its members. The meeting was attended by FATF President Elisa Medrazo; MENAFATF President Samia Abu Sharif of Jordan; MENAFATF Vice President Hamed Al Zaabi of UAE; and MENAFATF Executive Secretary Suliman Aljabrin.