UAE to set out new law regulating charity giving and fundraising

A new law to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing is being developed by the UAE.

The legislation will govern how charitable donations are made and the way non-profit organisations operate, a senior official has said.

Nasser Ismail, assistant undersecretary at the Ministry of Community Development and a member of the National Committee for Countering Money Laundering, told state news agency Wam that non-profit organisations operating in the UAE “must exercise due diligence to avoid any wrongdoings related to money laundering”.

Mr Ismail referred to the “new federal law being formulated by the ministry, named the Fundraising Regulatory Law, which will stipulate a set of conditions and regulations for licensed charitable and humanitarian authorities within the UAE”.

There are already strict measures in place relating to fundraising. This means the public can donate only to charities that are licensed by the government.

Mr Ismail said a series of awareness programmes for non-profit groups would be held soon. The ministry has already organised workshops for regulatory authorities that are responsible for overseeing and monitoring non-profit associations in the UAE.

These measures will support social development and encourage humanitarian giving, based on the values and traditions of Emirati society, he said.

“This step comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to abide by the international standards of countering money laundering, terrorism financing and weapons proliferation as issued by the Financial Action Task Force,” he said.

The National