Architectural dreaming

(CNN) -- A visit to Abu Dhabi best illustrates the scale of the dream projects underway. Some projects that probably would never get off the ground elsewhere are finding a home in the Middle East, specifically the Louvre and Guggenheim outposts planned in Abu Dhabi.

Jim Bittermann interviews world-renowned architect, Jean Nouvel, at his office in Paris. He's commissioned to design the Louvre outpost in Abu Dhabi. We also talk to Sheik Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to learn about the vision for Abu Dhabi. Plus, MME talks to critics who don't agree with the exporting of western culture to the Middle East.

This week, John Defterios also sits down with Lubna Al Qasimi, minister for economy & planning in the UAE. Al Qasimi took the job in 2004, and she had to allay fears over Dubai Ports World's controversial attempt to manage major American ports. The Sheikha has cracked down on stock market shenanigans by introducing tougher rules, transparency, and corporate governance in the UAE.

The 49-year-old princess travels to four different countries each month to promote trade relations. Al Qasimi is a techie with a degree in computer science from California State University, and she was once head of information technology at Dubai Ports Authority. Al Qasimi also has launched an eponymous perfume this past June at Saks Fifth Avenue in Dubai, with 20 percent of the proceeds benefiting the U.A.E-based Friends of Cancer Patients. E-mail to a friend