PARIS, 21st January, 2026 (WAM) -- A delegation from the General Secretariat of the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation, headed by Hamid Al Zaabi, Secretary-General, held a high-level meetings in the French Republic.

The meetings were held as part of efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership with the French side, in line with the Secretariat's ongoing efforts to enhance international relations and promote the exchange of expertise and knowledge.

The meetings included discussions with several senior officials in the French government, notably Gerald Darmanin, French Minister of Justice, and Claire Cherementenski, Deputy Director at the French Treasury.

The discussions focused on ways to enhance international cooperation, exchange expertise, and support joint efforts in the fields of combating money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, and asset recovery, thereby reinforcing financial integrity and strengthening strategic partnerships between the two countries.

The French side commended the level of existing cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, praising the country's leading role, particularly in the regulation of virtual assets, its advanced efforts in asset recovery, and the judicial cooperation between the two sides.

During the meetings, both sides agreed to move forward with the launch of a "Joint Strategic Dialogue on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing," initiated by UAE, represented by the General Secretariat of the National Committee.

The dialogue will include five main pillars: cooperation between law enforcement authorities, judicial cooperation, a track related to the Financial Intelligence Unit, countering the financing of terrorism, and capacity building and exchange of expertise.

In a related context, Hamid Al Zaabi invited the French side to participate in the Fifteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi at the end of April. This invitation was extended in his capacity as President of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), underscoring the importance of the Congress as an international platform for exchanging expertise and enhancing cooperation in addressing financial crimes.

The meetings also included a discussion with Charlotte Hemmerdinger, Director of the French Asset Recovery Agency (AGRASC), during which both sides explored the possibility of organizing a specialized regional workshop on asset recovery, considering the UAE's presidency of MENAFATF this year. Such an initiative would contribute to strengthening the capabilities of countries in the region and enhancing regional coordination.

The meetings further reviewed prospects for exchanging expertise and building capacities, including the possibility of hosting Emirati specialists for training with relevant French authorities, and welcoming French experts to the UAE, in support of joint efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and asset recovery at both regional and international levels.

It is worth noting that the United Arab Emirates and France share a strong and advanced partnership in the fields of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, including asset recovery and judicial cooperation, supported by ongoing collaboration in the exchange of expertise and technologies, as well as practical coordination between the relevant authorities.