ABU DHABI, 9th November, 2023 (WAM) -- The Executive Office of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (EO AML/CTF) led a national delegation to Singapore to meet with partners in the fight against financial crime and discuss closer cooperation between the two countries.
The delegation was headed by Hamid AlZaabi, Director General of the EO AML/CTF, and included officials from Ministry of Interior, Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation (EOCN), Cyber Security Council, Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Hamid AlZaabi commented that the visit builds on the close cooperation between the UAE and Singapore in the field of combatting money laundering, the financing of terrorism and financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
He added, “The UAE and Singapore share many commonalities, including a firm commitment to combatting financial crime. We are financial and trading centres that play a significant role in the global financial system and are continuously strengthening our AML/CFT systems through the exchange of information, ideas and expertise. Our bilateral relationship is an important financial link between Asia and the Middle East, with and the UAE is now Singapore’s largest trading partner in the MENA region. During our meetings we have covered important topics such as regulatory frameworks, virtual assets, investigations, and anti-fraud strategies. A wide range of Emirati authorities collaborate with Singaporean counterparts to combat the flow of illicit funds and I am pleased that many of them were part of this delegation”.
The delegation met with a range of Singaporean partners, including the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Ministry of Home Affairs, Gambling Regulatory Authority, Anti Scam Centre, and the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of Singapore Police.
The delegation also met with T. Raja Kumar, President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on the side lines of the United For Wildlife Global Summit 2023 where conservation leaders, law enforcement, government, and representatives from private sector met to discuss global issues affecting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) through the lens of success stories from Southeast Asia and beyond. The UAE takes an active role in combatting illegal wildlife trade, and the EO AML/CTF is supporting the UAE Ministry of Interior and UN Office on Drugs and Crime with the International Initiative of Law Enforcement For Climate (I2LEC) roundtables at COP28 in Dubai.
During the visit the EO AML/CTF also met with academics from Nanyang Technological University Singapore to discuss joint research projects.