Manama: Shaikha May bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, CEO of the Financial Intelligence National Centre and Chairperson of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Policy Committee, has taken on the role of Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) following the conclusion of the group's 41st meeting.
According to Bahrain News Agency, this development underscores Bahrain's position in the regional financial compliance framework and its dedication to fulfilling the group's international commitments. It also highlights the trust placed in Bahrain by international bodies focused on fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.
During the meeting, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates approved their cooperation priorities for their joint presidency in 2026-2027. These priorities include improving member states' preparedness for evaluation rounds, bolstering efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of weapons proliferation, and implementing the Financial Action Task Force recommendations.
Shaikha May bint Mohammed praised the UAE's role as a strategic partner at this stage, expressing her commitment to collaborating to strengthen regional and international efforts to fight financial crimes and enhance the efficiency of compliance and enforcement systems among member states.