The Arab Monetary Fund building in Abu Dhabi. The AMF urged central banks to ensure the continuity of RTGS and Swift networks during natural disasters. Private archive of Peter Mlodzianowski, Bucks (UK).
The Arab Monetary Fund building in Abu Dhabi. The AMF urged central banks to ensure the continuity of RTGS and Swift networks during natural disasters. Private archive of Peter Mlodzianowski, Bucks (UK).
The Arab Monetary Fund building in Abu Dhabi. The AMF urged central banks to ensure the continuity of RTGS and Swift networks during natural disasters. Private archive of Peter Mlodzianowski, Bucks (UK).
The Arab Monetary Fund building in Abu Dhabi. The AMF urged central banks to ensure the continuity of RTGS and Swift networks during natural disasters. Private archive of Peter Mlodzianowski, Bucks (U

Arab Monetary Fund sets guidelines for central banks to deal with natural disasters and climate change


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

Central banks in the region should develop frameworks to ensure banking and financial system stability during natural disasters, according to an Arab Monetary Fund report.

Regulators must also set up ad hoc, specialist management committees to prepare recovery plans, the report said.

The report called for the adoption of “a comprehensive governance framework in managing natural disasters and ramifications of climate change and addressing the potential impact”.

Natural disasters and climate change challenges have gained the attention of regulators across world due to their potential impact on financial stability.

The AMF’s report cited a London School of Economics study that said financial assets worth about $5.2 trillion (Dh19.1tn) would be at risk if the average temperature rose by 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

The same study said 0.5 per cent of financial assets would be affected under optimistic assumptions of the damage, while 17 per cent of assets would be at risk in a worst-case scenario.

The International Monetary Fund has put climate-related risks affecting the banking sector and financial stability into two categories – physical risk and transformation risk.

Physical risks include those related to natural disasters that lead to a loss of property, assets and infrastructure, which negatively affects public finances, the financial and insurance industries, businesses and people.

Transformation risks are related to potential financial losses on investment values as a result of climate change, including “stranded assets” such as coal mines which are not exploited as customers and investors increasingly move towards environmentally friendly products and practices.

In the report, AMF stressed the need to come up with a charter of co-operation for the co-ordination and exchange of information between central banks and other entities such as research centres that model the effects of environmental and natural disasters to limit their impact on the financial system.

Central banks were also encouraged to ensure the continued operation of RTGS and SWIFT networks to allow financial transactions to run smoothly during a crisis, the AMF report said.

“The issuance of these principles come to confirm that financial stability in the Arab countries is a priority for ... central banks and monetary authorities, while recognising that financial stability is closely linked to economic and social stability in the countries,” Abdulrahman Al Hamidy, director-general and chairman of the AMF board, said.

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a European body comprised of more than 230 pension funds and money managers with assets worth more than €30tn (Dh123.6tn) under management, set its own guidelines for dealing purely with physical risk last month.

It cited a new study that said damage worth $100 billion caused by extreme weather such as floods, heatwaves and droughts could be expected in the period through to 2040.

It pointed to the bankruptcy of US utility PG&E that was caused by wildfires in California as an example of the knock-on effect a changing climate can have on investors.

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

SCORES IN BRIEF

Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).

Liverpool's all-time goalscorers

Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community

• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style

“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.

Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term. 

From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”

• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International

"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed.  Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."

• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."

• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com

"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.

His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.

Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."

• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher

"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen.  He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”

• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org

"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."

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Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

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The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

Match info

Premier League

Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Oppenheimer
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Roger Federer's 2018 record

Australian Open Champion

Rotterdam Champion

Indian Wells Runner-up

Miami Second round

Stuttgart Champion

Halle Runner-up

Wimbledon Quarter-finals

Cincinnati Runner-up

US Open Fourth round

Shanghai Semi-finals

Basel Champion

Paris Masters Semi-finals

 

 

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Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km

How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix

1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull

5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas

6 Romain Grosjean, Haas

7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault

*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

9 Carlos Sainz, Renault

10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren

12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren

13 Sergio Perez, Force India

14 Lance Stroll, Williams

15 Esteban Ocon, Force India

16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso

17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber

18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber

19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams

20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso

* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)