Abu dhabi: The National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing, adopted a comprehensive set of decisions and initiatives during its second meeting of 2026. These measures aim to enhance national readiness, improve investigation and enforcement tools, and strengthen institutional integration among relevant entities to support the system’s sustainability and ability to adapt to regional and international developments.
According to Emirates News Agency, the meeting was chaired by Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and Chairman of the Committee. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Shamma bint Sohail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Empowerment; Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism; Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice; Saeed Al Hajeri, Minister of State; Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Al Zaabi, Deputy Head of State Security; Hamed Saif Al Zaabi, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the National Committee, along with committee members and heads of subcommittees.
The committee reviewed updates on the work of technical teams and progress achieved across several regulatory and operational initiatives. These efforts are part of an ongoing strategy to enhance the national system’s efficiency and strengthen its capacity to measure and continuously improve performance.
The committee approved the restructuring of its subcommittees and updated their mandates to reflect current priorities and enhance coordination among concerned entities. The decisions included developing work methodologies and follow-up mechanisms to support more effective national-level decision-making.
To improve procedural efficiency, the committee adopted the ‘National Guide on Financial Intelligence and Money Laundering Investigations’. This guide includes updated procedures for organising investigations, tracking and confiscating assets, and strengthening coordination among competent authorities. It also incorporates virtual assets within its scope and regulates asset recovery mechanisms, thereby improving the effectiveness and reach of financial investigations.
The committee approved risk assessments covering financial institutions, virtual asset service providers, and designated non-financial businesses and professions. These assessments support the updating of sectoral risk classifications and enable more precise and effective supervisory and enforcement actions.
The committee also approved the second public version of the ‘National Risk Assessment for Proliferation Financing’ as part of national efforts to support policy development and enhance preparedness in this field.
Within the same framework, the committee endorsed the ‘National Risk Assessment for Non-Profit Organisations’, aimed at strengthening transparency and applying a risk-based methodology within the sector.
The subcommittee for supervisory authorities and the subcommittee for anti-money laundering investigation entities presented a detailed update on unlicensed activities, including key findings and outcomes achieved by the national task force established under the National Committee’s umbrella.
Balama stated that the decisions adopted during the second meeting of 2026 reflect the national system’s transition to a more advanced stage of integration and implementation. This is achieved through updated institutional frameworks, enhanced national guides and assessments, and improved readiness of relevant entities to address evolving risks.
He added that these steps form a key pillar in ensuring the sustainability of the UAE’s framework for combating money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism and proliferation. This effort reinforces effective governance and a risk-based approach, enhancing the efficiency of coordinated national efforts while maintaining the integrity of the financial system and the confidence of the international community.