Launching the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030 during the Financial Inclusion Leaders Summit in the Middle East and North Africa

ABU DHABI, 17 November / WAM / Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Chief of the Presidential Cabinet, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Khalid Mohammed Al Amma, Governor of the Central Bank, opened today the “Financial Inclusion Leaders Summit in the Middle East and North Africa”, which the Central Bank is hosting over two days in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Arab Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The summit, which was held for the first time in the UAE, was attended by His Excellency Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ghurair, Chairman of the UAE Banks Federation, His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al Saleh, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank, His Excellency Younis Al Khouri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank, His Excellency Dr. Ali Muhammad Bakhit Al Rumaithi, Member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank, Their Excellencies Assistants to the Governor, along with senior officials in central banks and regulatory bodies in the Middle East and North Africa region, and representatives of government agencies and regional organizations. and international financial institutions.

The summit, which was held under the slogan “Shaping Regional and Global Agendas,” discussed strategic issues that contribute to the development of comprehensive, responsible and sustainable financial systems, and its most prominent themes included: digital innovation, consumer protection, gender equality, and financial health.

In his opening speech, His Excellency Khaled Mohammed Balama affirmed the country’s firm commitment to promoting financial inclusion as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and a pillar of economic resilience.

His Excellency said that the UAE is moving steadily to consolidate its position as a global model in financial and economic innovation and comprehensive development, based on an ambitious national approach embodied by the UAE Vision 2031 and the UAE Centennial 2071, and directing our efforts towards building a more comprehensive, efficient and sustainable financial system.

His Excellency added that enhancing financial inclusion represents a pivotal pillar in the Central Bank’s efforts to build a comprehensive and sustainable financial system, which enables all segments of society to access growth opportunities and contribute effectively to the country’s economic development process.

The first day of the summit witnessed the launch of national and international initiatives to support financial inclusion, as His Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank launched the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion for the UAE 2026-2030, which was developed by the Central Bank with the support of its international partners from the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Arab Monetary Fund, and with the contribution of more than 70 concerned national parties.

The strategy represents a comprehensive national framework that aims to enable all members of society to have fair and secure access to financial services, and to consolidate the UAE’s global leadership in developing a comprehensive and sustainable financial system, reflecting the country’s commitment to leading financial transformation at the regional and international levels.

His Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank stressed that the National Financial Inclusion Strategy was designed to be comprehensive for all segments of society, with a focus on a set of pivotal national priorities, the most prominent of which are: strengthening the legislative system that supports financial inclusion, accelerating the digital transformation of the financial sector, and consolidating financial culture and health for all, in addition to enabling the data and artificial intelligence system to support innovation, strategic decision-making, and developing the National Financial Health Index.

For her part, Her Excellency Fatima Abdullah Al Jabri, Assistant Governor of the Central Bank for Financial Crimes Sector Affairs, Market Behavior and Consumer Protection, confirmed that the National Financial Inclusion Strategy aims to achieve a set of goals by 2030, the most prominent of which is raising the percentage of ownership of financial accounts and increasing the percentage of individuals benefiting from digital payment technologies, while directing efforts towards aligning financial innovation with national regulatory frameworks to enhance the flexibility and sustainability of the financial sector.

The strategy includes a package of 12 pioneering initiatives to expand financial inclusion across various segments of society, and includes making comprehensive financial accounts available to all residents, developing innovative products targeting women, youth, and people of determination, and enabling entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized companies to access financial services.

It adopts a national plan for financial culture, and seeks to establish a global center for financial health in the UAE, which reflects the country’s commitment to building a comprehensive and sustainable financial system. It also emphasizes the importance of strong governance and data-based decision-making to ensure a lasting and measurable impact, and to promote the maximum benefit from financial resources and opportunities at the national and international levels.

The activities of the first day of the summit also included keynote speeches from officials from the World Bank and the Arab Monetary Fund, in addition to holding multiple dialogue sessions that dealt with expanding the use of financial services, and announcing the results of the regional financial inclusion index “Findex” in the Arab region, which monitors the progress made in this field in a way that supports decision makers in developing policies to build more comprehensive, flexible and sustainable financial systems.

The events included dedicated sessions on the foundations of financial health, as it was announced that it would host the World Financial Health Week for 2026, in addition to sessions that addressed women’s financial health, economic empowerment, and promoting financial culture.

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