Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder of the UAE

Описание: His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan served as President of the United Arab Emirates since the formation of the Federation on 2 December 1971 and as Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 1966.

Understanding the UAE is impossible without understanding the life of Sheikh Zayed and his deep religious faith, vision, determination and hard work; his generosity at home and abroad; and the way in which he devoted his life to the service of his people and the creation of a better world.

Born around 1918 in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed was the youngest of the four sons of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1922 to 1926. At the time of Sheikh Zayed’s birth, the Emirate was poor and undeveloped, with an economy based primarily on fishing and pearl diving and on simple agriculture in scattered oases inland. As Sheikh Zayed grew into a young man, he travelled extensively throughout the country, gaining a deep understanding of the land and its people. In the early 1930s, when oil company teams arrived to undertake preliminary geological surveys, he obtained his first exposure to the industry that would shape the development of the UAE today.

Life, even for members of the ruling family, was simple. Education was generally confined to lessons in reading and writing, along with instruction in Islam from the local preacher. Transport was by camel or boat, and the harshness of the arid climate meant that survival itself was often a major concern.

Through the late 1920s and 1930s, Sheikh Zayed’s thirst for knowledge took him into the desert, living alongside Bedouin tribesmen to learn all he could about their way of life and connection with their surroundings. He joyfully recalled his experiences of life and his initiation into the sport of falconry, which became a lifelong passion.

The first cargo of crude oil was exported from Abu Dhabi in 1962. On 6 August 1966, Sheikh Zayed succeeded his elder brother as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. He promptly increased contributions to the Trucial States Development Fund and with revenues growing as oil production increased, Sheikh Zayed undertook a massive construction program, building schools, housing, hospitals and roads.

In 1946, Sheikh Zayed was chosen as Ruler’s Representative in Abu Dhabi's Eastern Region, centered on Al Ain, 160 kilometers inland east of Abu Dhabi. He brought to his new task a firm belief in the values of consultation and consensus and his judgments ‘were distinguished by their acute insights, wisdom and fairness.’ The job involved ruling over six villages and an adjacent desert region. Despite a lack of significant government revenue, Sheikh Zayed was successful in advancing Al Ain. Sheikh Zayed established a basic administration system, personally funded the first modern school in the Emirate and encouraged relatives and friends to contribute towards small-scale development.

He revised local water ownership rights to ensure a more equitable distribution, which led to agricultural development and re-establishment of the oasis as the predominant market center. Sheikh Zayed’s city planning in Al Ain helped ensure a bright future, and today, the city is one of the greenest in the Arab world.

In August 1966, Sheikh Zayed became Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with a mandate to develop the Emirate as quickly as possible. His years in Al Ain had given him valuable experience in government and time to develop a vision of progress. With the export of the first cargo of Abu Dhabi crude oil in 1962, Sheikh Zayed could rely on oil revenues to start an infrastructure overhaul, constructing schools, housing, hospitals and roads.

In 1968 with the British announcement of the country’s withdrawal from the Arabian Gulf, Sheikh Zayed stepped to action to quickly establish closer ties with the Emirates. Together with the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Sheikh Zayed called for a Federation that would include not only the seven Emirates that made up the Trucial States, but also Qatar and Bahrain.

Eventually seven states followed Sheikh Zayed in establishing the UAE, which formally emerged on the international stage on 2 December 1971.