At an inaugural Ministerial Meeting held in Manama, Bahrain on the 30th of November 2004, the Governments of 14 countries decided to establish MENAFATF as a FATF Style Regional Body (FSRB).

It was agreed that the headquarter of this body will be in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The MENAFATF is voluntary and co-operative in nature and independent from any other international body or organisation; it was established by agreement between the governments of its members and is not based on an international treaty. It sets its own work, regulations, rules and procedures and co-operates with other international bodies, notably the FATF, to achieve its objectives.(link)