MENA Leaders Summit on Financial Inclusion 2025

A new high-level forum on access to finance will come to the UAE in mid-November when Abu Dhabi hosts the MENA Leaders’ Summit on Financial Inclusion 2025 under the theme “Shaping Regional and Global Agendas.” A recent announcement confirms that the Central Bank of the UAE, together with the Arab Monetary Fund and the World Bank, will convene policymakers and regulators in the capital on Monday 17 November 2025 and Tuesday 18 November 2025. The gathering will be held for the first time in the UAE, signalling a push to place financial inclusion and financial health firmly on the region’s policy map. Initial outlines describe a packed two-day programme with opening addresses, working sessions and linked meetings on financial inclusion across the Arab region. The summit will run as a focused policy and leadership event in Abu Dhabi across Monday 17 November 2025 and Tuesday 18 November 2025 (solo, government and financial-sector professionals, not children-friendly).

Summit theme and regional policy context

The chosen theme, “Shaping Regional and Global Agendas,” reflects a deliberate effort to move beyond local projects and align MENA priorities with global development goals on financial inclusion. According to the official concept, the summit will explore how governments, central banks and international institutions can support safe, responsible access to finance for individuals and small businesses. Discussions are expected to address digital financial services, financial health, gender gaps, consumer protection and resilience to shocks. The event also sits alongside the planned launch of a national strategy for financial inclusion in the UAE, which gives the host country an opportunity to showcase its own roadmap. Day by day, the summit aims to anchor MENA financial inclusion discussions inside a wider global conversation on financial health and sustainable growth (solo, policy professionals, not suitable for casual visitors).

Programme structure and working sessions

Agenda documents indicate that the MENA Leaders’ Summit on Financial Inclusion 2025 will run over two core days, with related working-group meetings extending activity to Wednesday 19 November 2025 at the same venue. Sessions will include opening and keynote addresses from senior UAE officials and leaders of partner institutions, followed by thematic panels and smaller breakout discussions. Topics outlined in early drafts range from foundations of financial health and the usage of financial services to digital innovation and data for inclusion. The structure is designed to create space for both high-level speeches and technical exchanges between specialists. Delegates should therefore expect full working days on Monday 17 November 2025 and Tuesday 18 November 2025, with structured sessions from morning through late afternoon (solo, technical audience).

Venue at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Corniche

Event listings and partner communications confirm that the summit will take place at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Corniche, a landmark property on the Corniche with direct beach access and extensive ballroom facilities. The hotel’s central location, close to key government districts and major business addresses, makes it a logical choice for a high-level policy meeting. Large ballrooms and breakout rooms allow organisers to separate plenary sessions from parallel technical discussions and closed-door side meetings. The venue also offers multiple restaurants and lounges, which provide convenient spaces for bilateral conversations between sessions. Because the Corniche corridor can be busy at peak times and hotel drop-off space is finite, parking capacity is limited and early arrival is strongly advised for summit delegates (solo, corporate and institutional groups, not children-friendly).

Who will attend and how the summit is framed

Hosts expect ministers of finance, central bank governors, senior regulators, development partners and industry leaders from across the MENA region and beyond. The summit is designed as a working platform where participants can share country experiences, debate regulatory approaches and coordinate regional positions for international meetings. Although financial-sector practitioners and experts from payments, microfinance and fintech will likely participate, the tone remains policy-oriented rather than commercial. There will be no consumer-facing exhibition or retail banking fair on site, and the agenda assumes a solid understanding of financial inclusion frameworks. In practice, the event suits solo policymakers, senior regulators and invited financial-sector executives, and it is not suitable for children or general public attendance (solo, institutional audience).

Travel within Abu Dhabi and from other emirates

For participants staying in central Abu Dhabi, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Corniche can be reached by taxi from downtown locations in roughly ten to twenty minutes outside peak times, with typical metered fares of approximately 20 to 40 AED each way. Delegates arriving from Dubai on Monday 17 November 2025 and Tuesday 18 November 2025 will usually take the E11 highway toward the capital, then follow Corniche signs, with journeys of about ninety minutes in light traffic. Those travelling from Sharjah, Ajman or other northern emirates often route via Dubai and should allow extra time for early-morning congestion. Many organisations sending larger delegations choose shared vehicles or small buses to simplify hotel arrival and parking logistics. Building generous travel buffers and considering shared transport options will reduce stress for teams commuting from other emirates to the Corniche (solo, small professional groups, not family-focused).

Registration expectations and budgeting in AED

Detailed public delegate-fee tables for the MENA Leaders’ Summit on Financial Inclusion 2025 had not yet been widely published at the time of writing, and some seats may be allocated directly through invitations from the organisers or partner institutions. However, comparable regional policy summits often carry registration costs in the low-to-mid thousands of dirhams for full access, while certain public-sector or international-organisation participants may attend under separate arrangements. Attendees should plan for accommodation in Abu Dhabi if they do not commute daily, with suitable hotels near the Corniche and city centre often ranging from approximately 400 AED to well above 1,000 AED per night in November, depending on category and booking conditions. Local taxi and incidental expenses, including meals and any evening meetings, will add further costs for both solo delegates and delegations. All summit-related fees, hotel prices and local transport expenses should therefore be treated as approximate in AED and checked directly with organisers or travel providers closer to Monday 17 November 2025 (solo, institutional visitors).

Weather outlook and practical planning tips

Mid-November in Abu Dhabi usually brings warm, dry conditions, and long-range outlooks for the period around Monday 17 November 2025 and Tuesday 18 November 2025 suggest daytime highs in the low 30s Celsius with nights in the low 20s, with no significant rain or mud risk expected across the following weekend of Friday 21 November 2025 and Saturday 22 November 2025. Light, breathable business clothing will feel comfortable outdoors, but delegates should carry a thin jacket or scarf to cope with strong indoor air conditioning in conference halls and meeting rooms. Traffic on main routes into the Corniche area typically peaks between 07:30 and 09:30 in the morning and again late in the afternoon, so it is wise to add at least thirty minutes to any planned car or taxi journey at these times. Public transport and organised shuttles, where arranged, can reduce parking pressure at the hotel, although passengers should still allow time for security screening and registration on arrival. Make your reservation before it is too late, and remember that all ticket, accommodation and transport figures remain approximate in AED and may change slightly as the summit dates approach. According to recent regional event coverage prepared by editorial teams at platforms such as www.few.ae, careful attention to timing, weather and transport details often makes the difference between a rushed first session and a calm, productive start to major Abu Dhabi policy gatherings like the MENA Leaders’ Summit on Financial Inclusion 2025.