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The programmes covered a range of priority topics, including macroeconomics, financial markets, digital financial services, green and sustainable finance, cybersecurity, compliance, risk management, tax policies, and economic and econometric analysis, contributing to the development of Arab expertise and supporting the region’s response to evolving economic and financial developments.

Several programmes were delivered in collaboration with regional and international institutions, including Buna – the Arab Regional Payments Clearing and Settlement Organization, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the IMF Middle East Center for Economics and Finance (IMF-CEF), HEC Paris, and the Financial Stability Institute of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS-FSI), fostering knowledge exchange and the adoption of international best practices.
 

The AMF Composite Index remained broadly stable during May 2026, recording a slight decline of 0.05% compared to the previous month. Eight Arab stock exchanges posted gains, while six recorded declines. The Tunis Stock Exchange led the region with a gain of 10.04%, followed by the Damascus Securities Exchange (7.99%), the Amman Stock Exchange (3.46%), the Egyptian Exchange (1.73%), and the Casablanca Stock Exchange (1.57%).

The market capitalization of Arab capital markets declined by 0.31%, reaching approximately USD 4.42 trillion at the end of May 2026, a decrease of around USD 13.72 billion compared to the previous month, despite increases in market capitalization across eleven Arab stock exchanges.

Trading activity also declined, with the total value of traded securities falling by 26.42% to approximately USD 76.95 billion, reflecting lower trading volumes across several major markets, particularly the Saudi Exchange and the Egyptian Exchange.

The meeting is chaired by H.E. Amina Mirghani Hassan, Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan and Chair of the current session of the Council. It is attended by members of the Permanent Council, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States, and H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund.

 

The meeting will discuss a number of priority topics, including financial stability and macroprudential policy, the role of monetary policy in enhancing export competitiveness, progress in implementing the Comprehensive Instant Payment Initiative, the restructuring of the governance framework of Buna, the Regional Institution for the Clearing and Settlement of Arab Payments, and a proposal to establish an Artificial Intelligence Working Group. Participants will also review progress in preparing the Arab Financial Stability Report and the Joint Arab Economic Report, in addition to considering the report of the Council Secretariat.

 

The meeting discusses a number of key topics related to enhancing the readiness of Arab financial systems to manage climate-related risks, developing national sustainable finance frameworks, and strengthening the role of financial markets and financial innovation in expanding green and sustainable finance.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, stressed the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, exchanging expertise, and building capacities to support the development of sustainable finance ecosystems across Arab countries, thereby contributing to economic stability and sustainable growth.

He also reaffirmed the Arab Monetary Fund’s commitment to continuing its support for member countries through the development of regional initiatives, the provision of technical advice, and capacity-building efforts, with the aim of enhancing the resilience of the Arab financial sector and its ability to adapt to future challenges and developments.

The Arab Monetary Fund Composite Index recorded an increase of 1.89 per cent during April 2026 compared to the previous month, while twelve Arab stock exchanges registered gains against declines in only two markets. The Egyptian Exchange led Arab markets in terms of performance, recording an increase of 14.21 per cent, followed by the Casablanca Stock Exchange at 8.29 per cent, the Amman Stock Exchange at 7.99 per cent, the Dubai Financial Market at 6.10 per cent, and Boursa Kuwait at 5.27 per cent.

The market capitalization of Arab capital markets also increased by 2.13 per cent, reaching approximately USD 4.43 trillion by the end of April 2026, representing an increase of around USD 92.41 billion compared to the previous month. This improvement was recorded across fourteen Arab stock exchanges.

In terms of trading activity, the value of trades increased by 1.31 per cent to approximately USD 104.49 billion, while trading volumes rose in thirteen Arab stock exchanges. The Iraq Stock Exchange recorded the highest growth in trading volumes, followed by the Bahrain Bourse and Boursa Kuwait.

In this context, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, emphasized the importance of continuing to hold such workshops in light of ongoing global economic and financial challenges, as well as the relative increase in public debt levels resulting from regional and international developments and the need to support economic activity. 

His Excellency noted that the workshop forms part of the Fund’s efforts to support Arab countries in enhancing the efficiency of public debt management and strengthening institutional and technical capacity building, in line with the Fund’s vision to support economic stability and sustainable growth in the Arab region. 

The Fund explained that the Composite Index of Arab Financial Markets increased by 0.79% compared to the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, supported by improved performance in a number of major Arab markets, particularly the Saudi stock market. On an annual basis, the index recorded growth of 2.8%.

The Fund indicated that five Arab stock exchanges recorded gains during the period, supported by stronger performance in the banking, energy, industrial, telecommunications, utilities, and services sectors. In contrast, eleven Arab exchanges recorded declines due to weaker performance across the real estate, financial services, basic materials, petrochemicals, transport, and insurance sectors.

The Muscat Stock Exchange recorded the highest increase among Arab markets at 39.23%, followed by the Tunis Stock Exchange at 14.24%, and the Egyptian Exchange at 8.35%. Meanwhile, the Saudi stock market, which carries the largest relative weight among Arab markets, recorded an increase of 7.23%.

These programmes reflect the Institute’s commitment to advancing institutional capacity by developing Arab talent capable of keeping pace with evolving economic and financial challenges.

The courses covered a range of key topics aligned with regional economic and financial priorities. They addressed climate change by exploring mitigation and adaptation concepts, related policies, and climate finance, while also highlighting smart solutions and practical applications for designing sustainable plans. They further examined the use of data derived from social media and news to measure economic expectations and sentiment, through natural language processing techniques, textual data analysis, and the development of specialized indicators.

The Working Group operates under the Council of Arab Central Banks and Monetary Authorities’ Governors and comprises directors of financial inclusion departments at Arab central banks, in addition to the Arab Monetary Fund, which serves as the technical secretariat of the Group. Representatives from several international and regional institutions are also participating, including the World Bank and the Better Than Cash Alliance.

On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, emphasized that the meeting represents an important platform for exchanging experiences and expertise, and for strengthening coordination among Arab countries on priority issues related to financial inclusion.

The conference highlighted the strategic transformation in the concept of financial inclusion—from focusing on access to financial services to fostering individuals’ financial health—thereby enhancing their ability to achieve financial stability and economic sustainability.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, stated that Arab countries have achieved notable progress in expanding financial inclusion, with financial account ownership reaching approximately 53% by the end of 2024, compared to 43% in 2014. He emphasized that the next phase requires moving from merely enhancing access to financial services to focusing on the actual impact of these services on individuals.