'National Anti-Money Laundering Committee' launches 2025 Annual Report

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman of the Higher Committee Overseeing the National Strategy on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing, said the UAE continued in 2025 to develop its national system, deepen integration among government entities and strengthen strategic partnership with the private sector and international partners.

His remarks came as the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Committee issued its 2025 Annual Report, reviewing key developments in the national system and progress in implementing the National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing 2024–2027.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised that multilateral cooperation is a fundamental pillar of the UAE’s vision to enhance national preparedness and reinforce the soundness of its financial system.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed attends an event. File

He said the UAE remains committed to strengthening its role as a trusted partner in international efforts through the exchange of expertise, support for capacity-building initiatives and active contributions to the development of international standards, reflecting its belief that the strength of the global financial system rests on its cohesion and that protecting it is a shared responsibility requiring sustained collective action.

Sheikh Abdullah also emphasised continued investment in developing national capabilities, strengthening international partnerships and supporting the principles underpinning a secure and trustworthy financial system.

Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and Chairman of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Committee, said, “The UAE continues to develop its national system for combating financial crime by updating legislative frameworks, strengthening integration among relevant authorities and reinforcing a risk-based approach, in a manner that supports the integrity of the financial system and keeps pace with international standards and best practices.”

He said that Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025 on Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing represents an important step in developing the legislative framework, enhances the effectiveness of the national system and supports coordination among competent authorities, thereby strengthening preparedness to address evolving risks.

The National Committee will continue to strengthen coordination among relevant authorities and deepen cooperation with international partners, enhancing the preparedness of the national system and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a trusted partner in safeguarding the integrity of the global financial system and combating financial crime.

In turn, Hamid Saif AlZaabi, Secretary-General and Vice-Chair of the National Committee, said that the past year witnessed operational progress across the framework for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, reflected in measurable results in financial intelligence, law enforcement, international cooperation and supervision.

He pointed out that understanding risk is the foundation on which the national system is built. The General Secretariat continued to use data and advanced technologies to support risk analysis and monitor implementation of the National Strategy for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing 2024–2027 through the “AML Track” platform. The completion rate for implementing the National Strategy’s 11 strategic goals reached 95 percent during 2025.

The 2025 Annual Report highlighted a pivotal stage in the development of the national system, which saw the completion of updates to the legislative and regulatory framework and the reconstitution of the Higher Committee Overseeing the National Strategy on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing 2024–2027, the National Committee, its General Secretariat and the sub-committees.

These developments strengthened governance and institutional integration and established a more efficient approach to implementing the Strategy and monitoring its targets.

The report reviewed the most prominent milestones in the development of the national system in 2025, including the efforts of the Higher Committee, the National Committee and the General Secretariat, as well as the sub-committees, which continued to fulfil their mandates in supervision, international cooperation, financial intelligence, asset recovery, public-private partnerships and capacity building.

The report also included the most prominent national outputs in policy development and risk assessment, which included completion of the sectoral risk assessment in cooperation with the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, alongside the preparation and development of a number of national frameworks and policies. These include policies on beneficial ownership, asset recovery, virtual assets and virtual asset service providers, and cyber-enabled financial crime, as well as the regulatory framework for non-profit organisations, strengthening the national risk-based approach and supporting alignment of the national system with international best practices.

Priorities for the coming period include further development of the national framework and preparations for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation, alongside the UAE’s presidencies of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) and the Middle East and North Africa Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (MENA-ARIN) in 2026.

WAM