The UAE’s Central Bank has announced it has launched a new anti-money laundering system and is the first GCC country to adopt it. The new system means all financial institutions in the country will have to report any suspicious transactions through goAML. They must register with the system by 27 June. Any transactions over 60,000 AED must be reported. goAML has been developed with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. It aims to step up intelligence, identify complex, organised criminal activities and curb them.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia has become the region’s first Financial Action Task Force member. Previously the Kingdom was an observer of the anti-money laundering body and they were one of the only Middle Eastern jurisdictions not to be included in a blacklisting of countries earlier this year. The organisation makes recommendations to governments on combating money laundering and terrorist-financing.