Ammon News - Jordan reaffirmed high-level political commitment to preparing for its third-round mutual evaluation on anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CFT) and counter-proliferation financing (CPF), set for 2027-2029, during a meeting Sunday with a visiting delegation from a regional financial crime watchdog.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh chaired the meeting at the Prime Ministry with a delegation from the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), led by MENAFATF President Hamid Al Zaabi.

Shehadeh said Jordan's political commitment forms a cornerstone for directing national efforts and mobilizing the resources needed to ensure the evaluation succeeds. He stressed that institutional coordination and integrated roles among concerned agencies guarantee practical, sustainable results.

He noted that Jordan's reforms, grounded in the constitution, reflect a national duty to protect the economy, strengthen trust in institutions and safeguard social stability.

Jordan continues updating its legislation to keep pace with international standards, he said, and looks forward to deepening its partnership with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and MENAFATF to bolster its regional and international standing.

Adel Sharkas, chairman of the National Committee for AML, CFT and governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, briefed the meeting on national efforts to strengthen the system, describing a systematic national plan backed by firm political and institutional will.

Sharkas said the committee has updated legislative, regulatory and procedural frameworks in line with international best practices and adopted a plan for legislative amendments alongside a National Risk Assessment project involving government agencies and the private sector. The exercise, he said, produced an accurate picture of national risks and clear priorities for addressing them.

Al Zaabi praised Jordan's experience as an important model for turning political commitment into tangible results, pointing to reforms that helped the kingdom exit the FATF's gray list in 2023.

He also credited Jordan's contributions during its 2025 MENAFATF presidency, including the first-ever meeting of regional central bank governors, held to advance the presidency's priorities and shape regional AML and CFT policy.

MENAFATF Executive Secretary Suliman Aljabrin outlined the procedures and stages of the mutual evaluation, emphasizing that involving all national entities is essential to ensure the assessment's accuracy and to convert its findings into an actionable roadmap.

MENAFATF was established in 2004 and comprises 21 Arab countries working to counter money laundering and terrorist financing risks across the Middle East and North Africa.

MENAFATF Vice President Sheikha May Al Khalifa and Samya Abou Sharif, director of Jordan's AML and CFT Unit, also attended.