Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Deputy Prime Minister, Chief of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of the UAE, the Financial Inclusion Leaders Summit for the Middle East and North Africa 2025 commenced today under the theme “Shaping Regional and Global Action Agendas.” The summit is taking place at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, bringing together senior officials and high-level decision-makers from across the region and around the world.
Organized by the Arab Monetary Fund, in collaboration with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the World Bank, the two-day summit (17–18 November) features the participation of an elite group of Arab central bank governors and senior representatives of regional and international financial institutions. The opening session was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.E. Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE; H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund; and Mr. Ousmane Dione, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, along with a number of distinguished dignitaries and officials from within and outside the UAE.
The summit addresses a range of priority topics, including the promotion of financial health, expansion of access to financial services, women’s economic empowerment, and financial literacy, all within the framework of ongoing efforts to build more inclusive and sustainable financial systems across the Arab region.
The event also witnessed the launch of the “Abu Dhabi Declaration on Digital Financial Inclusion,” reflecting the joint commitment of the Arab Monetary Fund, the Central Bank of the UAE, and the World Bank to accelerate digital transformation in the financial sector, foster sustainable growth opportunities, and strengthen the safety and stability of financial systems in the region.
In his keynote address, H.E. Dr. Fahad M. Alturki, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, underscored the importance of holding this summit at a critical juncture marked by slowing global economic growth and rising public debt levels. He emphasized the need to enhance regional coordination and develop joint policy responses to address emerging challenges, a vision that aligns with the Arab Monetary Fund’s renewed role as a trusted policy advisor and strategic partner to its member countries through policy dialogue, technical assistance, and financial support that foster economic stability and sustainable development.
H.E. Dr. Alturki highlighted that the Arab Monetary Fund has long recognized the importance of advancing financial inclusion. The Fund established the Arab Financial Inclusion Task Force (FITF) in 2012 and launched the Arab Financial Inclusion Day, observed annually on 27 April. In 2017, the Fund also introduced the Financial Inclusion Initiative for the Arab Region (FIARI) in collaboration with several international institutions. Most recently, the Fund launched the Arab Instant Payment System Facility (IIPS Facility) in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
He commended Arab countries for their progress in expanding financial inclusion, noting that the inclusion rate reached around 80% in several countries by the end of 2024, reflecting significant advancement in building financial systems that are more inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible.