The 6th MENAFATF plenary meeting was held in the Ebla Cham Hotel, Damascus, theSyrian Arab Republic on 5-6 November 2007. The meeting was headed by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, represented by his Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, Dr. Umayya Toukan. A large number of AML/CFT experts participated in the plenary meeting, representing MENAFATF member countries (Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, and Yemen), in addition to observer countries and organizations (Palestine, France, United Kingdom, Spain, the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Gulf Cooperation Council, UNODC, FATF, Egmont Group).
The plenary aimed at continuing MENAFATF efforts through discussing its work mechanisms to embrace and implement the FATF recommendations in the AML/CFT field, comply with the international criteria in the said regard, and to maintain cooperation between MENAFATF member countries to enhance compliance with the said criteria.
The Plenary discussed a number of key issues related to AML/CFT, among the most important of which was the Morocco Mutual Evaluation Report in the context of implementing the mutual evaluation process timeline. The report listed the AML/CFT measures applied in Morocco and outlined the level of their compliance with the international criteria in the said regard.
The Plenary also discussed the outcomes of working groups meetings in the mutual evaluation and technical assistance and typologies fields, in addition to other key issues related to MENAFATF work.
The Plenary adopted the mutual evaluation report of the Kingdom of Morocco, prepared by MENAFATF, and approved MENAFATF's 2008 work plan and Budget.
In addition, the Plenary acknowledged, through the mechanism applied, key developments in the AML/CFT systems applied by MENAFATF member countries.
On another note, the Plenary discussed the official procedures required to reciprocate the observer seat with the Asia/Pacific Group, and approved giving the said group the observer status.
The next MENAFATF plenary meeting was decided to be held under the presidency of the UAE in Abu Dhabi in the period 6-10 April 2008.