Abdulrahman Al Awar

Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar
Born	(1969-11-21) November 21, 1969 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Occupation(s)	Government minister, scholar, senior official
Known for	Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research (2023–present)

Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar (; born 21 November 1969) is an Emirati leader, scholar, and senior official who currently holds the position of Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In September 2023, he was also appointed as the Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Early life and education

Al Awar was born in Dubai and earned his doctorate in Geology and Geochemistry with a focus on petroleum systems from the Colorado School of Mines in 1995. He has completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School and serves as a visiting professor at the American University of Sharjah.

Career

Starting his professional journey as a senior geoscientist at Dubai Petroleum, Al Awar progressed to become Executive Vice President of Business Development – New Smelters at DUBAL. His career also includes significant roles at Dolphin Energy and participation in committees for HSBC Middle East.

In 2009, he was appointed Director General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR), followed by his leadership as Director General of TANMIA from 2013 until 2021.

Since his appointment as Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation in 2021, Al Awar has led major initiatives such as the implementation of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, which introduced policies on flexible working arrangements, remote work, anti-discrimination, and parental leave.

He further expanded the NAFIS initiative in 2022 to increase Emirati participation within private sector employment.

Upon assuming the role of Acting Minister of Higher Education in 2023, he unveiled the National Higher Education Strategy 2030 aimed at advancing the UAE’s higher education landscape.

International engagement

Al Awar has represented the UAE at prominent global events including:

• The 110th Session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2022
• Signing a Labor Memorandum of Understanding with the Philippines in 2022
• Participation in Loka Kerala Sabha alongside Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2023
• Attendance at the World Economic Forum MENA Summit in 2024

Publications

• "Strategic Human Capital Development in the GCC" – published in Journal of Gulf Economics, 2018
• "Emiratization Policies" – featured in UAE Public Policy Review, 2020
• "Higher Education Reform in the UAE" – appeared in International Journal of Educational Development, 2022

Awards and honors

• Recipient of the UAE Government Excellence Award (2018)
• Awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the American University in the Emirates (2020)
• Honored with the Middle East HR Leadership Award (2022)
• Winner of the Global Innovation Leadership Award at WGS 2024

Personal life

Al Awar is a proponent of lifelong learning and emphasizes maintaining a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal life.