The National Committee to Combat Money Laundering adopts specific decisions and initiatives to enhance national readiness and the efficiency of the work system

During its second meeting in 2026, the National Committee to Combat Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and the Financing of Arms Proliferation adopted an integrated set of decisions and qualitative initiatives aimed at enhancing national readiness, developing investigation and implementation tools, and deepening institutional integration among the various relevant authorities, in a way that supports the system’s sustainability and its ability to keep pace with regional and international developments.

According to a press release issued today, this came during the meeting that was held under the chairmanship of Khalid Mohammed Al-Amma, Governor of the UAE Central Bank and Chairman of the National Committee, and in the presence of Shamma bint Suhail Al-Mazrouei, Minister of Community Empowerment, Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al-Nuaimi, Minister of Justice, Saeed bin Mubarak Al-Hajri, Minister of State, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Zaabi, Deputy Head of the State Security Service, and Hamid Saif. Al Zaabi, Vice Chairman of the National Committee and Secretary-General, and Their Excellencies members of the National Committee and heads of subcommittees.

The committee reviewed the latest developments in the work of the technical teams, and the progress achieved in a number of organizational and implementation initiatives, within the framework of continuing to develop the efficiency of the national system, and enhancing its ability to measure and continuously improve performance.

In this context, the committee approved the restructuring of its subcommittees and updating their terms of reference, in a way that reflects the priorities of the current stage and increases the efficiency of coordination between the concerned parties. The decisions also included developing work methodologies and follow-up mechanisms in a way that contributes to supporting the effectiveness of the decision-making system at the national level.

Within the framework of developing law enforcement tools and enhancing the efficiency of procedures, the Committee adopted the “National Guide for Financial Information and Investigations and Investigations into Money Laundering Crimes,” which includes updated procedures for organizing investigations, tracking and confiscating assets, and deepens the integration of roles between the competent authorities, which reflects positively on the effectiveness of the results. The guide also includes virtual assets within the scope of these procedures, and regulates asset recovery mechanisms in a way that enhances the efficiency of financial prosecutions and expands the scope of their tools.

In order to consolidate the risk-based approach, the Committee adopted a risk assessment of financial institutions, virtual asset service providers, and licensed specified non-financial businesses and professions, in a way that supports updating risk classification at the sector level, and directs supervisory and implementation efforts according to their levels accurately and effectively.

Within the framework of national efforts aimed at supporting and developing relevant policies, and enhancing national readiness in this vital field, the committee adopted during the meeting the second general version of the “National Assessment to Combat Financing of Arms Proliferation.”

Within the same framework, the committee also approved the “National Evaluation of Non-Profit Organizations,” in support of enhancing transparency and implementing the risk-based methodology in this sector.

The Subcommittee on Regulatory Bodies and the Subcommittee on Bodies Investigating Money Laundering Crimes also provided a detailed update on unlicensed activities, including the most prominent results and outputs achieved by the national working team established under the umbrella of the National Committee to Counter Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Financing of Arms Proliferation.

Khaled Mohammed Balama, Governor of the UAE Central Bank and Chairman of the National Committee, said that the decisions adopted by the National Committee during its second meeting of 2026 reflect the transition of the national system to a more advanced stage of integration and implementation, through modernizing institutional frameworks, developing national evidence and assessments, and enhancing the readiness of the concerned authorities to deal with changing risks. These steps constitute an essential pillar in supporting the sustainability of the national system to confront money laundering, combat the financing of terrorism, and financing the proliferation of weapons, and consolidate effective governance and a structured methodology. on risks, in a way that enhances the efficiency of joint national action and preserves the integrity of the financial system and the international community’s confidence in it.