Ministry of Finance partners with Institute of Management Accountants to launch CMA and FMAA certifications

• As part of its strategy to enhance highly qualified national financial competencies.

Younis Haji AlKhoori: The partnership represents a strategic investment in advancing the federal financial work environment by empowering national talent with modern knowledge and technological tools.

ABU DHABI, August 6, 2025

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) to launch the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Financial and Managerial Accounting Associate (FMAA) certifications.

The MoU is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to equip national cadres with the highest global professional standards in accounting and financial management.

It falls under the Ministry’s ambitious initiatives to promote professional excellence in the government financial sector by enabling employees to obtain prestigious international professional certifications that support financial sustainability and leadership in federal performance.

Empowering national talent

The MoU signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abu Dhabi in the presence of H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance; H.E. Mariam Mohammed Hassan Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Government Finance Management at the Ministry; Amna Hassan Al Shamsi, Director of Financial Policies and Government Accounting Standards at the Ministry; Azza Ali Aljassmi, Director of the Government Communications Department at the Ministry; Mr. Ahmad Mkhallati, Senior Director, at the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), Middle East, ; Mr. Amer Abdulhadi Al Ahbabi, President of the IMA Abu Dhabi Chapter and IMA USA Global Board Member; and a number of specialists from both sides.

Best practices

H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori stressed that the new partnership will support the Ministry’s strategy aimed at bringing about a paradigm shift in the development of national financial talent, reinforcing leadership in public finance and sustainable development. The Ministry firmly believes in the importance of investing in human capital, and these certifications will help build highly specialised capabilities that support the country’s shift towards a knowledge-based, sustainable economy.

He added, “Obtaining global professional certifications such as the CMA and FMAA demonstrates the Ministry of Finance’s commitment to raising the skills and professional standards of employees in the federal financial sector, as well as enhancing transparency and efficiency in the management of government resources, in line with international best practices.”

AlKhoori noted that the launch of these certifications, in collaboration with IMA, is an important milestone in the development of the federal financial work environment, empowering national cadres with the latest knowledge and technical tools. It will help enhance their readiness to keep pace with the rapid transformations in public finance and financial analysis and reinforce the foundations of institutional excellence and professional innovation. 

For his part, Mike DePrisco, President and CEO of IMA, said that this collaboration with the Ministry of Finance represents a milestone in our shared mission to advance the management accounting profession globally. “The UAE has always demonstrated excellence in building a future-ready economy, and by equipping government talent with the CMA and FMAA certifications, the Ministry of Finance is setting a global standard of excellence, accountability, and strategic financial management. We are pleased to collaborate with the Ministry of Finance on this forward-looking initiative aimed at enhancing accounting and finance capabilities.”

Specialised professional programs

The MoU aims to establish a comprehensive framework of cooperation between MoF and IMA in the fields of accounting, financial management, and business development, leveraging IMA’s expertise and specialised programs to qualify accountants and financial professionals within the Ministry and across federal government entities.

Under this MoU, advanced training programs leading to the CMA and FMAA certifications will be offered, enhancing the development of national professional talent in the financial and accounting sector and reinforcing excellence in institutional performance.

The MoU also includes collaboration on exchanging professional insights and consulting on international initiatives and trends in business and accounting, supporting the adoption of global best practices and strengthening the UAE’s position as an advanced financial centre.

The two sides will also work together to organise specialised professional events, including conferences, seminars, workshops, forums and round tables, aimed at bolstering ongoing professional development efforts for accounting and financial management professionals across the country.

Institutional excellence

The signing of this MoU builds on the successes of the Ministry’s previous initiatives to develop national talent, notably qualifying over 145 Emirati employees in collaboration with other international associations in the areas of accounting standards, public finance and financial sustainability.

The MoU with IMA establishes an institutional framework for sustained cooperation that will contribute to raising financial skills within the federal government sector and enhance the sustainability of professional development in the UAE’s financial framework.