JEDDAH, 3 November 2004 — Zayed was born in 1918 and named after his grandfather, Sheikh Zayed ibn Khalifa Al-Nahayan, who has the longest reign in the emirate’s history, ruling Abu Dhabi from 1855 to 1909. His grandfather is also known as “Zayed The Great” and “Zayed the First”, and had played a large role in forging unity between the tribes of Oman and leading the Bani Yas tribe.
Zayed’s father, Sheikh Sultan ibn Zayed Al -Nahayan, ruled Abu Dhabi between 1922 and 1926. Then Zayed’s uncle, Sheikh Saqar ibn Zayed Al-Nahayan, reigned followed by Zayed’s eldest brother, Sheikh Shakhbut in 1928. After his father died in 1927, Zayed moved to the oasis of Al-Ain, approximately 160 kilometers east of the island of Abu Dhabi, where he spent the rest of his youth. There he underwent religious education, and learned the Noble Qur’an, and was deeply moved by the biography of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
At that time, the seven sheikhdoms, known then as the Trucial States, had been under British influence since 1820. Abu Dhabi was poor and undeveloped and its economy was based upon fishing and pearl diving along the coast. The economy suffered when the market for Gulf pearls collapsed in the 1930s after Japanese scientists invented cultured pearl. At this point, the first oil company teams came to carry out geological surveys, and Zayed was appointed to guide them around the desert.
Sheikh Shakhbut assigned Sheikh Zayed to govern Al-Ain in 1946 and later in 1953. They both traveled to Europe to appear at a legal hearing on an oil dispute. They also traveled to the United States, Switzerland, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, India, Iran, and Pakistan. On his return, Sheikh Zayed was convinced that it was urgent to develop the area in order to bridge the gap between it and the rest of the world.
When oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958, economic matters began to improve. The first commercial field entered production in 1962 from the offshore Umm Shaif field, and then from onshore at Bab. On Aug. 9, 1966, Sheikh Shakhbut gave control of Abu Dhabi to his younger brother.
After assuming rulership, Sheikh Zayed introduced a formal government structure, with departments developed to handle specific tasks.
Priority was given to building basic housing facilities, schools, health services, and the construction of an airport, a seaport, roads, and a bridge to link Abu Dhabi to the mainland.
Financial resources were spent for the planting of trees in Al-Ain in order to transform Abu Dhabi into a green city. Funding was also dedicated for the creation of a zoo in Al-Ain in1967.
When Britain announced in January 1968 that it would withdraw its military presence in the Gulf, Sheikh Zayed was the first statesman to call for a union. Zayed realized that for Abu Dhabi to prosper, it needed to co-operate with its tribal neighbors. So his first step was to meet with the then-ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid ibn Saeed Al-Maktoum.
The two held meetings on the 19th of February 1968 at Samih and discussed border disputes. This followed by the signing of an agreement on the Feb. 27, 1968, to form a federation of nine emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Bahrain, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah, Qatar and Umm Al-Quwain). Bahrain and Qatar, however, wanted full independence, and Ras Al-Khaimah also declined that way for a while. On Dec. 2, 1971, a federation of six emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm Al-Quwain) formed the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sheikh Zayed was elected president and Sheikh Rashid vice president. Shortly afterward, Ras Al-Khaimah decided to join. This officially took place on Feb. 11, 1972.
Until his death yesterday, Sheikh Zayed had been re-elected as president at five-year intervals by the Supreme Council of UAE that consists of the rulers of each of the seven emirates.
Sheikh Rashid was re-elected vice president until he died in 1990, at which time his son, Sheikh Maktoum, took his father’s place. Sheikh Maktoum now takes over as interim President of the UAE until a new president is named.
Sheikh Zayed also played a major role in the formation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which officially started in Abu Dhabi in 1981.
For the past few years Sheikh Zayed’s health was deteriorating and he frequently traveled to the United States for medical treatment.
In 1996 he underwent spinal surgery in the US, and then again in August 2000 for a kidney transplant.
His son, Sheikh Khalifah, who is the crown prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will succeed him.
