Central Bank of UAE Hosts Prestigious Annual Banks Reception in Bangkok
The UAE's financial leadership convenes with global counterparts during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group annual meetings
The Central Bank of the UAE, working in concert with the Ministry of Finance and the UAE Banks Federation, orchestrated an exceptionally distinguished gathering in Bangkok on 15th October 2026. The Annual UAE Banks Reception drew together the nation’s most prominent financial institutions and government entities, alongside an illustrious assembly of international monetary authorities and banking luminaries.
Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, presided over the reception alongside Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ghurair, Chairman of the UAE Banks Federation. The occasion brought together senior leadership from across the UAE’s financial sector, including the Assistant Governors of the Central Bank, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and the Dubai International Financial Centre.
The reception’s significance extended far beyond the UAE, attracting finance ministers and central bank governors from across the Gulf region and beyond. Among the distinguished international attendees were Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance of Qatar; Dr. Yaqoub Al Rifai, Minister of Finance of Kuwait; and Basel Al-Haroon, Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait, alongside monetary authorities from Syria and Palestine and senior Bahraini diplomatic representation.
This prestigious gathering served as a nexus for the world’s financial elite, drawing more than 600 participants encompassing central bank governors, finance ministers, chairmen and board members of global banking institutions, and leading figures in financial technology and monetary policy. The reception, held on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, underscored the UAE’s commanding position within the international financial community and its commitment to strengthening collaborative relationships across the global banking sector.
The event exemplified the nation’s role as a vital hub for international financial discourse, facilitating dialogue and partnership amongst the world’s most influential monetary policymakers and banking leaders.
Source: WAM