Founder of the United Arab Emirates, and a late Emirati statesman and diplomat.

He is the founder of the United Arab Emirates and the former president of the country. He is credited with modernizing the UAE and making it one of the most prosperous countries in the region.

He was born in 1918 in Abu Dhabi, at a time when the emirate was poor and its economy depended on fishing, pearl diving and simple agriculture in the scattered oases in the interior. Education was limited to reading and writing lessons, and transportation was by camel or boat.

In the early 1930s, teams of British oil companies arrived to conduct initial geological surveys of the Gulf region, and discovered the presence of oil wells there, which contributed to the development of the UAE. The first shipment of crude oil was exported from Abu Dhabi in 1962.

In August 1966, Sheikh Zayed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi, and took advantage of the growth in revenues with the increase in oil production, to begin a process of renaissance and development that contributed to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi reaching its global achievements today. He began implementing extensive reforms in the country, including building schools, housing and hospitals, and developing cities and roads. He began urging his people to participate with all their energies in the development process, and called on foreign competencies to support it with expertise. He announced the establishment of a modern official government in Abu Dhabi with departments and divisions, and assigned them the necessary tasks to manage the affairs of the state, and established the “National Consultative Council” to formalize the consultation process.

He sought to establish closer relations with the other emirates, and called, along with the late ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, for the formation of a federation comprising the seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah). Eventually, the United Arab Emirates was established, and officially appeared on the international scene on December 2, 1971. Sheikh Zayed was elected by the rulers of the emirates to be the first president of the state, a position to which he was re-elected every five years until his death.

Sheikh Zayed derived his leadership style from authentic Arab traditions and his belief in the values of consultation and consensus. He established the Federal National Council, which gives any individual the opportunity to present his views for discussion. He followed up on the affairs of the newborn, growing state, and distributed the revenues of the oil wealth to all sectors, especially those that needed development. He paid attention to the economy, education, heritage and culture, and preserved the reputation of the Emirates among Arab countries and the world, which was distinguished by its security and stability.

One of the foundations of his philosophy as a leader and statesman was the necessity of using the state’s resources fully for the benefit of the people. He was aware that building the human being and investing in national human minds constitutes the basis for development, progress and prosperity. He believed in the capabilities of young people, considering them a national wealth that must be invested in, and that through education and culture they can contribute to major achievements and achieve economic development and progress, leadership and creativity in various development fields.

He considered women the axis around which family stability revolves, and he encouraged them to learn and enter the labor market. Their status flourished in light of his vision of education, employment, and equality among all Emiratis. His efforts resulted in what Emirati women have achieved today, as the illiteracy rate among Emirati women decreased to less than 8%, and the rate of women’s participation in the labor market increased from 2.2% in 1975 to 46.6% in 2021.

He sought to achieve his vision of unifying all the Gulf countries that share common factors, such as history, customs, traditions, economy, and family closeness that unites the peoples of the region. His efforts resulted in the formation of an official regional and political grouping that included Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates, under the name “The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf” in 1981.

Sheikh Zayed realized that the UAE could play a more active role in international peacekeeping operations, and was keen for it to increasingly assume international responsibilities, and to have a role focused on relief and rehabilitation. The country still plays a major role today in providing relief and development assistance around the world, through more than 45 humanitarian institutions.

Sheikh Zayed died in 2004 in his late eighties, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The principles and philosophy that the founding father introduced into the country’s policies remained, and the UAE followed Sheikh Zayed’s approach in giving confidence to the youth and encouraging them to innovate and develop continuously. It launched several plans, initiatives and programmes that enhanced the empowerment of the youth and their involvement in decision-making, shaping a better future for current and future generations.

Sheikh Zayed was interested in writing poetry of various types, especially Nabati and Bedouin poetry, in addition to his interest in folk literature and writing several poems in local Emirati dialects. Through his poems, he spoke about many topics related to culture, society, and emotional attachment to people, values, and the homeland. His poetry has been documented through several books and recordings.

The International Organization for Aliens in Switzerland awarded him the Golden Document as the most important personality of the year 1985, and he was awarded the title of Environmental Man of the Year 2000 by the Lebanese Quality Institute.

Among the awards received by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan:

• The Arab League Development and Progress Man Sash, 1993.
• The Golden Medal for Arab History in 1995 from the Moroccan Historians Association.
• Medal for Environmental Conservation from the late Pakistani President Farooq Leghari.

One of the most important quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan:

• We believe that the goodness of the wealth that God has bestowed upon us should be shared with our friends and brothers.
• I always say that I believe in the youth, and that the responsibility must be assumed by the educated youth of the country, because the youth do not lack enthusiasm, and as long as they are enthusiastic and believe in their country, they are able to absorb everything new.
• The greatest investment of money is investing it in building generations of educated and cultured people.
• We learned from this wealth to build our country with science and culture, and to raise a new educated generation. Educating and cultivating people is in itself a great wealth that we are proud of, for science is like wealth, and we build the future on a scientific basis.
• Real wealth is the wealth of men, not money and oil.
• The asset of any advanced nation is its educated people, and the progress of peoples and nations is measured by the level and spread of education.