Combatting Financial Crime in the UAE

A positive anti-money laundering (AML) rating can have significant positive economic impact on a nation’s credit rating and ability to attract foreign investments. Fighting money laundering and terrorist financing is therefore an essential part of creating a business friendly environment, which is a precondition for economic development.

This white paper presents an overview of the focus areas for the UAE and provides recommendations that aid to enhance the overall effectiveness of the framework for mitigating the misuse of the system by financial criminals on the back of the recently issued UAE FATF Mutual Evaluation report. This will require prompt decision making and actions taken, given there is a five-year limitation for addressing the recommendations of the report. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will reevaluate on an ongoing basis, as the UAE remedies the findings in the Mutual Evaluation report.

The publication further provides a number of considerations for the authorities not only in the UAE but also across the GCC that, if implemented appropriately, can greatly enhance the outcomes from financial crime fighting measures taken at the national level. One of the key
approaches involves leveraging public private partnerships to help law enforcement and public prosecution by deploying the services of professionals from the private sector to improve investigation and prosecution outcomes.

By addressing the points outlined in this paper, the GCC will be able to improve the effectiveness of its financial crime controls and consolidate its position as a global financial and business hub. If you would like to discuss the report or have any queries, please contact Nipun Srivastava.