UAE Female Joins BRICS New Development Bank Board

Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi - WAM
Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi - WAM
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UAE Female Joins BRICS New Development Bank Board

Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi - WAM
Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi - WAM

BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) has elected Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International Financial Relations and Organizations Department at the UAE Ministry of Finance, as a member of its Board of Directors and a Constituency Director.

She was appointed following an internal voting process during NDB’s 8th Annual Meeting, held recently in Shanghai, China, WAM reported.

Thuraiya Alhashmi will become the first Emirati and Arab woman to assume a Director’s position at the New Development Bank, which was established in July 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).

The UAE joined BRICS’ NDB in October 2021 following Cabinet Resolution No. (19)/3 of 2021. The UAE is represented on NDB’s Board of Governors by Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, as Governor, and Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Finance, in his capacity as Alternate Governor.

The UAE actively engages in NDB’s regular meetings, as well as in the seminars, workshops, and discussions that take place on sidelines of these meetings, which focus on topics including deploying innovation to advance development policies, funding solutions and advanced digital infrastructure.

The New Development Bank was established by BRICS countries following an agreement that was signed by the leaders during the sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza in 2014.

It complements efforts of multilateral financial institutions for global development, while supporting collective commitments to attaining robust, sustainable, and balanced growth. NDB’s operations focus on a range of key areas, including financing infrastructure projects and achieving sustainable development.

Since its establishment, it approved over 90 projects for a total amount around US$32 billion, supporting transport, water and sanitation, digital and social infrastructures, and clean energy.

Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the American University of Sharjah, and a master’s degree in international business from Tufts University, USA. She has been working at the Ministry of Finance since March 2020 as Director of International Financial Relations and Organizations Department.

Alhashmi was involved in managing the UAE’s relationship with international financial organizations, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), NDB, the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the G20 Finance Track.

She has also represented the UAE in numerous international meetings and forums. Alhashmi also sits on the boards of multiple international institutions.



FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.