Union Of Arab Banks: We Support Iraqi Banking Institutions Within International Laws

Wednesday, May 28, 2025, | Economic Number of reads: 251  Baghdad / NINA / The Union of Arab Banks affirmed that supporting Iraqi banking institutions is a top priority through developing strategies or facilitating dialogue with international partners, within the framework of applicable international laws and regulations.

Secretary General of the Union of Arab Banks, Wissam Fattouh, said during the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Conference, which kicked off today, Wednesday, in the capital, Baghdad, "Combating money laundering and terrorist financing has become, in recent years, a top priority, along with combating corruption, at the heart of the global agenda and has become one of the main indicators of the credibility of financial institutions and their countries before the international community and international banks."

He added, "The Arab region faces complex challenges, some of which result from political and security tensions, and some of which are related to the regulatory and technical level in a number of banking sectors. Matters are further complicated by the strict and inflexible application of digital standards by international bodies towards banks, regardless of the specificities or circumstances of some countries. "

Fattouh stressed that "the battle for compliance is not just a technical issue, but rather a sovereign, institutional, and economic issue all at once, because failure to comply threatens our relationship with international banks, limits our ability to carry out transfers, imports, and exports, and directly impacts investment flows, aid, and trade cooperation."

 He pointed to the urgent need for joint Arab action, particularly strengthening ties of joint cooperation between Iraqi banks operating in a complex political and economic environment, and the Union of Arab Banks. 

He emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships to develop Iraqi banking and raise Iraq's voice in international forums, when we are ready to do so.

Fattouh emphasized the importance of working to integrate financial technology into internal control systems, including the use of artificial intelligence in compliance and risk assessment, noting the need to instill a culture of compliance at all levels, from board members to front-line employees.

He added, "The challenges we face today are a call for cooperation, reprioritization, and continuous work on banking reform."  https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1229559