Dubai: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy described the Indian leader as a 'true treasure' for the leadership and people of the Emirates, while signalling a deeper expansion of bilateral ties in trade, technology and energy cooperation.
Speaking ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival, Al Hashimy said the India-UAE partnership continues to scale 'new mountain tops' and noted that the upcoming visit would further strengthen the already close strategic relationship between the two countries.
Who Is Reem Al Hashimy?
Al Hashimy is among the most influential figures in the UAE government and has played a key role in shaping the country’s global partnerships and development agenda. Academically, she holds degrees from Tufts University, Harvard University and Tsinghua University.
She has served as the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation since 2016 and also oversees the Political Affairs Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Globally recognised for leading the UAE’s successful bid to host Expo 2020 Dubai, Al Hashimy was instrumental in bringing the first World Expo to the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. She later served as Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai and currently heads the Expo City Dubai Authority, which is overseeing the transformation of the Expo site into a major future-focused urban hub.
Apart from her diplomatic role, Al Hashimy also chairs the UAE National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and leads organisations such as Dubai Cares and the Board of Trustees of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. She previously served at the UAE Embassy in Washington DC, first as Commercial Attache and later as Deputy Chief of Mission.
On the economic front, Al Hashimy highlighted that after surpassing the initial USD 100 billion trade target under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, both countries are now aiming for USD 200 billion in bilateral trade. She also pointed to growing collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, supercomputing and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Addressing concerns around the global energy market and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE minister said energy had been weaponised amid the West Asia conflict. She added that the UAE’s recent decision to exit OPEC was aimed at ensuring it could produce at full capacity during a period of supply disruptions.
Prime Minister Modi’s UAE visit is part of his five-nation tour from May 15 to 20, which will also include visits to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. The visit marks another high-level engagement between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi following UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to India in January and the participation of Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum in the AI Summit hosted in India earlier this year.
