RIYADH: The UAE on Saturday reaffirmed its strong commitment to fight money laundering and terror financing in “close coordination with domestic and international partners,” the official WAM reported. Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, was quoted as saying, “Our efforts to protect our security and economic prosperity will always come first. This means that the ministry and the UAE law enforcement will continue to investigate and apprehend complex criminal networks and their assets.” UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said the UAE is keen to accelerate the pace of the National Action Plan to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The foreign minister, who is also chairman of UAE’s top body fighting money laundering and terror financing, said: “Financial crime is a concern for all major economies, and we in the UAE are approaching this matter with the utmost seriousness. By continuing with our disciplined approach, we will make a genuine difference in our ability to prevent illicit financial flows and achieve our goal of making the UAE one of the strongest and most respected economies in the modern world.” WAM quoted Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq Al-Marri as saying, “The interconnectedness of international organized criminal networks, often accelerated by technological advancement, is concerning for countries around the world. In the UAE, we are fighting back through the power of intelligence, advanced analytics, technology, investigations, and public-private partnerships.”