Bahraini officials and financial leaders have intensified efforts to strengthen the kingdom’s anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) frameworks ahead of a critical evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The push follows the enactment of Royal Decree Law No. 36 of 2025, which overhauled national regulations to align more closely with the global watchdog’s standards. The strategy, backed by His Majesty King Hamad and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, aims to cement Bahrain’s status as a secure regional financial hub.
At a high-level briefing hosted by AMAN, Bahrain’s national anti-financial crime platform, senior leaders outlined strategic priorities for the public and private sectors to address before the FATF Mutual Evaluation begins later this year.
“FATF readiness isn’t just about passing an assessment – it’s about protecting the people and businesses that depend on the integrity of Bahrain’s financial system every day,” said Saud Ebrahim, section head for financial crime at BBK.
Mr Ebrahim noted that the new legislation has forced financial institutions to adapt quickly to the growing convergence of cybercrime and financial fraud.
As part of the initiative, companies were provided with a Self-Assessment Checklist to identify internal control weaknesses and exposure to transnational organised crime. The briefing is the first in a series of initiatives by AMAN designed to bridge the gap between regulatory requirements and private-sector compliance.
“Bahrain continues to strengthen its already mature anti-financial crime frameworks,” said Dickon Johnstone, group chief executive of AMAN. He added that the kingdom remains committed to ensuring its financial centre is “not open to international organised crime groups or companies engaged in illicit activities.”
The upcoming FATF assessment is viewed by Manama as a strategic opportunity to demonstrate its risk-identification agility and set a benchmark for transparency across the GCC.
&uuid=(email))