UAE Central Bank Partners With World Bank to Boost Financial Inclusion

The Central Bank of the UAE has agreed to deepen cooperation with the World Bank Group to strengthen the country's leadership in financial inclusion and financial health. Under the partnership, the two sides identified several priority areas, including financial literacy and inclusion initiatives, principles for preventing digital fraud, and improvements to dispute-resolution mechanisms for banking and insurance customers. The collaboration will also support the second edition of a regional summit on financial health and inclusion, scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi later in the year and organised by the central bank. A senior World Bank Group official said the agreement reinforced a shared commitment to advancing the UAE's position as a leader in financial inclusion. Financial inclusion refers to ensuring that individuals and businesses have access to useful, affordable financial products and services, from payments and savings to credit and insurance, delivered responsibly. For the UAE, which has a large expatriate population and a fast-developing digital economy, expanding inclusion and protecting consumers from fraud are central to building trust and resilience in the financial system as services increasingly move online.