Gov’t reaffirms commitment to strengthening financial crime controls
The government on Sunday reaffirmed its “high-level” political commitment to preparing for the third round of the mutual evaluation of the Kingdom’s anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework, scheduled for 2027-2029.
The commitment was reiterated during a high-level meeting at the Prime Ministry chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh, with a delegation from the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), headed by its President Hamed Alzaabi.
During the meeting, Shehadeh said that political commitment is a key pillar guiding national efforts and resource allocation for a successful evaluation, stressing the importance of institutional coordination and integrated roles in achieving sustainable results.
He said that Jordan’s reforms are grounded in the Constitution and constitute a national duty aimed at protecting the economy, strengthening public confidence in state institutions and maintaining societal stability, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
The Kingdom continues to align its legislation with international standards while strengthening cooperation with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and MENAFATF, Shehadeh added.
Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) Governor and National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Committee Chairman Adel Sharkas outlined measures taken to strengthen the national AML/CFT system.
Sharkas said that the committee has updated legislative, regulatory and procedural frameworks in line with international best practices.
It has also adopted a plan for legislative amendments and carried out a national risk assessment with broad participation from the public and private sectors to identify national risks and establish priorities for action, he said.
Alzaabi praised Jordan’s experience, describing it as a model for translating political commitment into tangible achievements. He highlighted reforms that contributed to the Kingdom’s removal from the FATF “grey list” in 2023.
He also commended Jordan’s contributions to MENAFATF, particularly during its presidency of the group in 2025, when the first meeting of central bank governors in the region was held to help establish regional AML/CFT policy directions.
MENAFATF Executive Secretary Suliman Aljabrin outlined the procedures and stages of the mutual evaluation, stressing the importance of involving all relevant national entities to ensure an accurate and comprehensive assessment and produce an actionable roadmap.
Aljabrin said Jordan has the expertise and capacity needed to conduct a successful evaluation.
The meeting was attended by MENAFATF Vice President Sheikha May bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and Director of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Unit Samya Abu Sharif.
Established in 2004, MENAFATF comprises 21 Arab member states and aims to strengthen regional cooperation in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
