ACCA and the Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA) have strengthened their collaboration following the successful delivery of their first joint regional initiative, bringing together representatives from 11 Arab securities and capital market authorities to explore emerging fraud risks and the role of governance in maintaining resilient and trusted financial markets.
Convened by UASA, the session marked the first collaboration of its kind between ACCA and UASA and welcomed 48 senior participants from across the region's regulatory community. Drawing on ACCA's latest policy insights and research, the session examined the evolving fraud landscape, including the impact of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cyber-enabled financial crime and the increasing importance of strong governance, ethics and internal controls.
Kush Ahuja, Head of Eurasia and Middle East, ACCA, said: "Strong financial markets depend on strong institutions, trusted governance and ongoing collaboration. Bringing together regulators from across the Arab region to discuss shared challenges demonstrates the value of creating forums where knowledge, experience and practical solutions can be exchanged.
“Our collaboration with UASA reflects ACCA's commitment to supporting policymakers, regulators and finance professionals across the Middle East. This first initiative lays the foundation for continued collaboration that strengthens confidence in the region's capital markets.”
The discussion was led by Claire Lindridge, Director - Policy and Insights at ACCA, who shared practical insights into strengthening organisational resilience and maintaining trust across increasingly complex regulatory environments.
"Fraud risks continue to evolve alongside technological change, increasing cross-border activity and increasingly sophisticated criminal methods. Addressing these challenges requires strong collaboration between regulators, finance professionals and policymakers,” Lindridge commented.
"Bringing together representatives from across the Arab region provided a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives on the challenges facing capital markets today and the practical steps organisations can take to strengthen governance, transparency and resilience. We are delighted to have worked with UASA on this important initiative, bringing together regulators to share practical experience, strengthen collective understanding of emerging risks and deepen regional collaboration. We look forward to building on our collaboration in the future," she added.
The webinar explored a range of topics, including emerging fraud trends, governance vulnerabilities, technology-enabled risks and the role of finance professionals in supporting market integrity. Participants also discussed the importance of regulatory cooperation and capability building in strengthening confidence across the region's capital markets.
Jalil Tarif, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA), said: "This webinar marks the beginning of what we believe will be a long-term and fruitful collaboration between UASA and ACCA. Bringing together regulators from across the Arab region to discuss shared challenges reflects our collective commitment to strengthening governance, transparency and the resilience of our capital markets. We look forward to building on this partnership through future knowledge-sharing initiatives."
The initiative strengthened the relationship between ACCA and UASA and provides a platform for ongoing knowledge sharing, dialogue and collaboration on issues affecting governance, regulation and financial resilience across the Arab world.
As one of the world's leading professional accountancy bodies, ACCA continues to work with policymakers, regulators and industry leaders across the Middle East to support sustainable economic growth, strong governance and the development of future-ready finance professionals.
