UAE Launches 3Rd National Money Laundering Risk Assessment To Prevent Financial Crime

The UAE has launched a large-scale assessment for anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing. The National Risk Assessment (NRA) - the third of its kind - will deploy advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse financial threats across the country.

The assessment, announced on the sidelines of the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, will examine more than 20 sectors and 21 categories of predicate offences, covering crimes that generate illicit funds such as drug trafficking, fraud, bribery, forgery, tax evasion and terrorism financing, drawing on data from 84 federal and private entities.

Talal Al Teneiji, Director of the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation and head of the proliferation financing threat assessment team, said the exercise applies a three-factor methodology measuring threat, vulnerability and consequence to produce a precise picture of the risks facing the UAE's financial system.

Brigadier Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ahmed, Director General of the Federal Criminal Police and head of the money laundering threat assessment team, said the findings would directly inform the UAE's national strategy for 2024-2027, ensuring enforcement priorities are grounded in evidence rather than assumption.

Ibrahim Al Alkeem, Director of Policy and Risk Management, said deploying advanced AI capabilities would allow authorities to process larger volumes of data and identify patterns that manual analysis might overlook, strengthening the quality and speed of the assessment.

Fawzia Al Ali, Head of the National Risk Section, said the NRA covers both domestic exposure and risks originating from regional and global financial flows, reflecting the UAE's position as an international trade and financial hub.

The launch follows the UAE's successful passage of a Financial Action Task Force mutual evaluation after its second NRA and its removal from the FATF grey list of jurisdictions under enhanced monitoring in 2024, an international recognition of the strength of the country's legislative and institutional framework for combating financial crime. The third round is designed to build on those reforms and identify emerging vulnerabilities ahead of the next evaluation cycle.

The National Committee said results of the assessment will be shared with relevant authorities and the private sector to align risk management practices across the financial system.

UAE imposes Dh20-million fine on foreign bank for repeated violations UAE takes new measures to combat money laundering and financial crime UAE Central Bank tightens Anti-Money Laundering rules to meet compliance standards

MENAFN28092026000049011007ID1111728380