The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has opened the 2026 Article IV consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to assess the economic and inflation outlook, monetary and fiscal policies, and financial sector oversight. The mission builds on preparatory discussions held during an IMF staff visit in July. The CBUAE will coordinate technical meetings with federal and local authorities and private sector representatives. Discussions will examine banking sector resilience, financial infrastructure and innovation, alongside supervisory standards covering risk management and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. The consultation takes place against projected economic growth of 1.6% in 2026 and around 10% in 2027, supported by expansion outside the oil sector, infrastructure investment and increased oil production capacity. UAE banking sector assets have exceeded AED 5.7 trillion. At the conclusion of the consultation, the IMF mission will prepare an assessment of the UAE economy, its growth outlook, and key opportunities and challenges.
Central Bank of the UAE opens 2026 IMF Article IV consultation on economic outlook and financial oversight
The Central Bank of the UAE has begun its 2026 Article IV consultation with the International Monetary Fund, following preparatory discussions in July. The review covers the economic outlook, monetary and fiscal policies, and banking supervision, including financial crime controls. It comes against projected growth of 1.6% in 2026 and around 10% in 2027, with banking assets exceeding AED 5.7 trillion.