ABU DHABI, 11th November, 2025 (WAM) -- The Africa / Middle-East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) held its plenary meeting today in Abu Dhabi, chaired by Waleed Al Awadhi, CEO of the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and newly elected AMERC Chair.

The meeting brought together IOSCO representatives, senior regulators and market authorities from Africa and the Middle East to discuss key priorities and developments shaping the region's capital markets.

In his opening remarks, Waleed Al Awadhi outlined his vision for strengthening AMERC as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and resilient market development. He emphasised the importance of cross-border cooperation and building robust regulatory frameworks to drive inclusive and sustainable growth across regional capital markets.

"AMERC will continue to promote resilient and innovative capital markets across Africa and the Middle East. By working together, we can ensure our markets remain competitive and respond proactively to global developments," Al Awadhi said.

The plenary featured updates on IOSCO's global priorities, including developments related to online harms in digital securities markets and the IOSCO I-SCAN initiative. I-SCAN is a unique global warning system designed to strengthen investor protection by consolidating alerts from regulators worldwide on suspicious, fraudulent, or unlicensed firms and investment activities.

Members also discussed AMERC's future activities and engaged in thematic deep-dives on the following key areas:

- Deepening and Diversifying Capital Markets: Exploring opportunities and challenges, including the role of virtual assets in broadening market participation.

- Regional Capital Market Integration: Sharing experiences and lessons learned from initiatives aimed at fostering regional markets connectivity.

- Supervisory Cross-Border Cooperation: Enhancing supervisory capabilities and coordination mechanisms to better address and manage ongoing and emerging risks.

The meeting also provided a platform for members to present updates on market developments and regulatory initiatives within their respective jurisdictions, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance transparency, efficiency, and investor protection.

Under Waleed Al Awadhi's leadership, AMERC continues to advance its mission of fostering collaboration, transparency, and innovation, reinforcing Africa and the Middle East's contribution to global capital market standards.