Reem Al-Hashimy: The Woman Who Helped Bring the World to Dubai

From international diplomacy to Expo 2020 Dubai, the story of a UAE minister whose career connects government leadership, global cooperation, and education.

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Introduction

Reem Al-Hashimy is a UAE government minister, diplomat, and international leader. She is best known for her work on Expo 2020 Dubai and her role in the country’s international cooperation efforts.

Her career spans many years. She worked in diplomacy before joining the UAE Cabinet. Then came one of her biggest assignments: helping Dubai win and host the World Expo.

Today, Reem Al-Hashimy serves as the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation. She also leads Expo City Dubai Authority as its Chief Executive Officer.

Her work reaches beyond Dubai. It includes international development, humanitarian discussions, education, and relationships between countries.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full Name	Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy
Common Name	Reem Al-Hashimy
Arabic Name	ريم بنت إبراهيم الهاشمي
Nationality	Emirati
Country	United Arab Emirates
Profession	Politician, Diplomat, Government Official
Current Ministerial Role	Minister of State for International Cooperation
First Cabinet Appointment	February 2008
International Cooperation Appointment	February 2016
Other Current Position	CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority
Previous Major Role	Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai
Bachelor’s Degree	Tufts University
Master’s Degree	Harvard University
Doctoral Degree	Tsinghua University
Known For	UAE Diplomacy and Expo 2020 Dubai
Book	When Ground Shifts (2025)

Early Life and Educational Background

Education played an important part in her professional development.

Reem Al-Hashimy studied international relations and French at Tufts University in the United States. Her academic interests were closely connected to the kind of work she would later handle in government.

She continued her studies at Harvard University, earning a master’s degree.

Her academic journey also took her to China. She completed a doctorate at Tsinghua University.

That meant studying across different countries and academic settings.

Each institution offered a different experience. International relations focuses on how countries work together, handle disagreements, and develop diplomatic relationships.

These subjects are closely connected to her later government responsibilities.

Her educational background remains one of the best-documented parts of her profile.

How Her Diplomatic Career Started

Before joining the UAE Cabinet, Reem Al-Hashimy worked at the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C.

She served as Commercial Attaché. She later became Deputy Chief of Mission.

These were serious diplomatic responsibilities.

Embassy work requires direct communication between governments. It can involve trade discussions, official meetings, economic relationships, and coordination with public institutions.

Her Washington experience gave her direct exposure to international government work.

That experience came before a major career change.

In February 2008, she joined the UAE Cabinet as Minister of State.

It marked a new chapter.

Joining the UAE Government in 2008

Reem Al-Hashimy entered the UAE Cabinet in February 2008.

She was appointed Minister of State and took responsibility for the Political Affairs Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The position placed her within the UAE’s senior government structure.

Her work involved political affairs and international engagement.

Over time, her responsibilities expanded.

She became closely associated with international projects and major government initiatives.

One project would attract global attention.

That project was Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Mission to Bring Expo 2020 to Dubai

Winning the right to host a World Expo is a major undertaking.

Countries must present their plans. They need to show how the event will work, what participating nations can expect, and how the host city intends to manage the exhibition.

Dubai wanted that opportunity.

Reem Al-Hashimy led the UAE’s successful bid campaign.

The competition included several international cities. Dubai competed against candidates from Russia, Turkey, and Brazil.

The decision came in November 2013.

Dubai won the final voting round with 116 votes, compared with 47 votes for the Russian candidate, Ekaterinburg.

It was a major moment for the UAE.

Dubai became the first city in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region selected to host a World Expo.

But winning was only the start.

The harder work came next.

Leading Expo 2020 Dubai

After Dubai secured the event, Reem Al-Hashimy became closely involved in its planning and delivery.

She served as Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai.

The event required years of preparation. Countries needed exhibition spaces, participating organizations needed support, and organizers had to prepare for millions of visits.

Then an unexpected problem arrived.

COVID-19 changed the global event calendar.

Expo 2020 Dubai was delayed by one year. It eventually opened on 1 October 2021 and closed on 31 March 2022.

The event kept its original name.

Its main theme was “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”

The exhibition brought together 192 participating countries and recorded 24,102,967 visits across its six-month run.

These were recorded visits, rather than a count of unique individuals.

Reem Al-Hashimy and the wider Expo leadership team had to handle the demands of an international exhibition during a period of major global disruption.

That story later became the subject of her book.

From the World Expo to a New City

Expo 2020 ended in March 2022.

Yet the site remained important.

Dubai moved ahead with plans to use the former exhibition grounds for a new urban district called Expo City Dubai.

Reem Al-Hashimy became CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority in 2022.

The new authority was established to oversee the development of the site and its longer-term future.

Expo City includes spaces for businesses, education, events, and community activities.

It also hosted COP28, the United Nations climate conference, in 2023.

Her executive role connects her work on the original exhibition with the site’s continued development.

Becoming Minister of State for International Cooperation

In February 2016, Reem Al-Hashimy was appointed UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation.

She continues to hold this position in 2026.

The job involves working with international partners and representing the UAE in discussions covering development, humanitarian support, and diplomatic cooperation.

Her responsibilities involve meetings with foreign governments and international organizations.

Sometimes the discussions concern education. At other times, they address humanitarian needs, trade relationships, or regional issues.

The subjects vary considerably.

But international cooperation remains the central part of her ministerial portfolio.

Her Work in International Diplomacy

Reem Al-Hashimy has represented the UAE in meetings across several regions.

Her documented work includes cooperation with countries such as India, Australia, Ukraine, Sweden, and Canada.

These engagements cover different issues.

Cooperation with India

India and the UAE maintain extensive diplomatic and economic relations.

In March 2026, she visited New Delhi and met Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Their discussions covered bilateral cooperation and regional developments.

She also attended UAE diplomatic meetings in Mumbai on 20 October 2026.

The meetings involved senior officials from the UAE, India, and the United States.

Subjects included trade, investment, technology, and international cooperation.

Humanitarian Discussions on Ukraine

Reem Al-Hashimy also serves as the UAE Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy to Ukraine.

Her work has included diplomatic engagement linked to humanitarian concerns and the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

In September 2026, she participated in the Pathways to Peace conference in Toronto, Canada.

The conference addressed the return of children, detained civilians, and prisoners of war.

She met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand during the event.

The discussions covered humanitarian cooperation and relations between the UAE and Canada.

Diplomatic Engagement with Australia

In May 2026, she made an official visit to Australia.

Her meetings included discussions with senior Australian government representatives about bilateral relations, investment, and wider cooperation.

The visit formed part of the UAE’s continuing diplomatic engagement with Australia.

Supporting Education Through Dubai Cares

Education is another part of her public work.

Reem Al-Hashimy serves as Chairperson of Dubai Cares.

Dubai Cares is a philanthropic organization focused on improving access to education in developing countries.

Its work addresses educational opportunities and the needs of children and young people.

She also chairs the Board of Trustees of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

These responsibilities connect her government career with educational institutions and international development programs.

In September 2026, she participated in a high-level education-financing event during the United Nations General Assembly.

The event focused on supporting the Global Partnership for Education.

Work on Sustainable Development Goals

Reem Al-Hashimy chairs the UAE National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals.

The committee helps coordinate national efforts connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

These goals cover issues such as education, poverty, health, environmental protection, and economic development.

The committee’s responsibility is to support the UAE’s work on these international objectives while taking national development priorities into account.

It is another formal responsibility within her government career.

Her Book: When Ground Shifts

In March 2025, Reem Al-Hashimy published her first book, When Ground Shifts: The Story of Dubai Expo: Creating Hope in Times of Upheaval.

The book was published by Profile Books.

It contains 208 pages.

The story focuses on her experiences leading the UAE’s Expo campaign and helping deliver the event.

She writes about the challenges faced during the project, including the disruption caused by COVID-19.

The book also discusses leadership responsibilities and balancing demanding professional work with family life.

It gives readers a first-person account of an important part of Dubai’s recent history.

The English edition appeared in March 2025, followed by an Arabic edition in April 2025.

Awards and International Recognition

Her career has received recognition outside the UAE.

Order of Princess Olga, First Class

In October 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Reem Al-Hashimy the Order of Princess Olga, First Class.

The award recognized contributions connected to the UAE’s humanitarian cooperation and support for Ukraine.

It was presented during her official visit to the country.

Marisa Bellisario Award

In June 2026, she received the Marisa Bellisario Award in Italy.

The award recognizes women’s achievements across several professional fields, including public service, diplomacy, and business.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani presented the award during a ceremony in Rome.

These recognitions form part of her documented international public record.

Current Role and Activities in 2026

Reem Al-Hashimy remains active in UAE government service.

As of October 2026, she continues serving as Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority.

Her public engagements during 2026 have included official visits, meetings with foreign ministers, and participation in international conferences.

In September, she attended United Nations General Assembly activities in New York.

Later that month, she took part in humanitarian discussions in Canada.

On 20 October 2026, she attended high-level diplomatic meetings in Mumbai involving the UAE, India, and the United States.

These activities reflect the international scope of her current work.

What Makes Her Career Distinctive?

Her professional record includes two different kinds of public responsibility.

The first is government diplomacy.

The second is managing a large international project.

Reem Al-Hashimy moved from embassy work into ministerial service and later helped oversee a World Expo involving nearly every country in the world.

Those assignments required different skills.

Diplomacy relies heavily on relationships, negotiation, and government communication.

An exhibition of Expo’s size also needs planning, operations, people management, and coordination across borders.

Her continuing work at Expo City Dubai links those experiences to the management of a permanent development project.

Final Thought

Reem Al-Hashimy has spent much of her career representing the UAE in international affairs.

Her work on Expo 2020 Dubai brought her public attention far beyond the country.

She continues to hold major government and executive responsibilities.

From Washington diplomatic appointments to international cooperation meetings in 2026, her career shows a long record of public service.

Expo 2020 remains a central part of that story.

But her professional responsibilities extend well beyond a single event.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Reem Al-Hashimy?

Reem Al-Hashimy is an Emirati politician and diplomat. She serves as UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority.