The Banking Executive Magazine - May 2026 Issue

UAE Banks Federation UAE Banks Federation APPROVES 2026 STRATEGY UAE Banks Federation (UBF) ap- proved its 2026 strategy at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), in the pres- ence of representatives of all its member banks. The strategy, endorsed by UBF’s board at a meeting held prior to the AGM, focuses on advancing the sec- tor’s role in economic growth and re- inforcing the UAE’s leading position among the world’s best financial and banking centres. Participants emphasised the impor- tance of the UAE’s banking and fi- nancial sector’s achievements under the direct supervision of the Central Bank of the UAE, as well as the high resilience of the financial and bank- ing industry and its ability to adapt to global changes and challenges, which has further strengthened the UAE’s leading global position. During the meeting, the members approved the previous minutes of the AGM held in April 2025, the audited financial statements for 2025, and the auditors’ report. The meeting stressed the priority of supporting strong fundamentals of the banking industry and enhancing its role in economic development and achieving the UAE’s strategic ob- jectives. It noted that the continued strong performance of UAE banks in 2025 reinforced the sector’s leadership po- sition both regionally and globally, with total assets of UAE banks reach- ing AED5.4 trillion. The credit portfolio grew by 17.9 percent and deposits increased by 16.2 percent, while maintaining high the BANKING EXECUTIVE 40 ISSUE 209 MAY 2026