ABU DHABI, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The General Secretariat of the National Committee for Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Proliferation has announced the launch of the UAE’s third National Risk Assessment.
The assessment brings together 84 competent authorities and the private sector to update the national understanding of risks, identify priorities for addressing them, and develop policies and measures that improve the effectiveness of the national system.
The announcement was made during a media briefing held by the General Secretariat on the sidelines of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi.
The briefing was attended by several chairs of the National Committee’s subcommittees.
Hamid Saif Al Zaabi, Secretary-General and Vice Chair of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing Committee (NAMLCFTPFC), said the National Risk Assessment provides a foundation for policymaking and setting priorities in the fight against financial crime.
He noted that the third cycle draws on accumulated national expertise and advances in data quality and coordination among authorities, enabling a deeper understanding of risks and directing efforts and resources towards the areas of greatest risk and impact.
Al Zaabi added that the assessment’s findings will support supervisory authorities in developing risk-based supervision plans, help law enforcement agencies direct their capabilities, and enable the private sector to update its institutional risk assessments and internal controls
He stressed that an accurate understanding of risks strengthens the UAE’s ability to safeguard market integrity and support the competitiveness of its national economy.
Dr. Talal Al Tunaiji explained that, as part of the third National Risk Assessment cycle, the Proliferation Financing Risk Assessment Team collects and analyses information from government and supervisory authorities and the private sector to identify threats and vulnerabilities related to proliferation financing.
These include risks arising from the failure to implement, or attempts to evade, targeted financial sanctions.
He noted that such sanctions apply to specific individuals and entities and include freezing their funds and assets without delay and preventing funds or economic resources from being made available to them, directly or indirectly.
Funds linked to proliferation financing may come from legitimate sources, while risks may arise in commercial transactions, dual-use goods, corporate structures, the use of intermediaries, and attempts to conceal the parties involved.
He added that the team works with competent authorities to establish a shared national understanding of these risks and use the assessment’s findings to set priorities, develop preventive and supervisory measures, and guide relevant entities in updating their assessments and controls in line with a risk-based approach.
The findings are expected to support the consistent implementation of targeted financial sanctions, improve the detection of evasion indicators through the analysis of transactions and links between parties, and strengthen timely information sharing among supervisory authorities, law enforcement agencies and the private sector.
Brigadier General Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ahmad, Director-General of the Federal Criminal Police, Chairman of the Money Laundering Threat Assessment Team, said the third National Risk Assessment covers 21 predicate offences and more than 20 criminal typologies.
It aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the sources of illicit proceeds and the methods used to conceal, transfer or integrate them into the economy.
He noted that the assessment of money laundering risks considers more than the number of cases: it also examines the scale of proceeds, links to organised crime, the complexity of offences, international connections, and their impact on society and the economy.
He said the Money Laundering Threat Assessment Team coordinates, collects and analyses data and statistics from relevant authorities.
Its work draws on information about predicate offences, money laundering offences, the methods used to commit them, and the sources of illicit proceeds, helping improve the accuracy and consistency of data and identify the nature and level of threats.
Al Ahmad added that the assessment’s findings will help authorities identify, trace, freeze, seize and confiscate proceeds of crime, while directing human, financial and technical resources according to the level of risk.
Dr. Ebrahim Al Alkeem Al Zaabi, Director of the National Policies and Risks Department at the General Secretariat, said, “The assessment methodology combines operational data, supervisory expertise and sectoral analysis. It also involves validating findings and comparing them across multiple sources. The participation of competent authorities and the private sector helps build a comprehensive picture of risks, identify data gaps and determine areas requiring deeper analysis, leading to findings that support decision-making and the development of the national response.”
He explained that the assessment follows five interconnected stages: defining its scope and initial priorities; collecting data and evidence; analysing risks; validating findings against multiple sources; and translating the findings, priority risks and material data gaps into inputs for the 2028 National Strategy and National Action Plan.
Fawzia Al Ali, Head of the National Risks Section at the General Secretariat, noted that the assessment covers licensed, unlicensed and emerging activities; exposure to illicit financial flows and cross-border flows; asset recovery; beneficial ownership transparency; and the misuse of legal persons and legal arrangements.
It also examines fraud typologies associated with modern technologies, virtual assets, complex ownership chains, new financing channels and proliferation financing risks.
She stressed that the assessment is carried out through the coordinated efforts of federal and local authorities, supervisory authorities, law enforcement agencies, the Financial Intelligence Unit, customs authorities, and registration and licensing authorities, alongside private sector contributions through questionnaires, interviews and sectoral data.
The third cycle builds on the findings of the previous two assessments. The first, completed in 2018, established a national baseline for understanding risks. The second, whose findings were approved in 2024, broadened the scope of data and participation.
Its findings contributed to the development of the 2024–2027 National Strategy, which comprises 11 strategic objectives, 50 sub-objectives and more than 250 initiatives.
The media briefing outlined the scope, methodology and implementation stages of the third cycle, the roles of participating entities, and the intended outcomes for strengthening the national system’s ability to detect, analyse and respond to risks.