Sheikh Zayed′s origins in Al Ain. Interview with H.E. Zaki Nusseibeh

Sheikh Zayed and Richard von Weizs?cker

German President Weiz?cker's Visit to Sheikh Zayed Significant Milestone in the Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Germany | Zayed Impressed by President's Guest Gift | Continuation of Successful Emirati-German Relations until today under Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel

I took part in the meeting between Sheikh Zayed and Richard von Weizs?cker in Abu Dhabi. It was an important visit because it was the first time that we had an official visit from such a senior German public figure. We had received visits from other European Heads of State, starting with the Queen of England, the President of France and others. But it was the first time that a senior German figure of that level came to visit the Emirates. 

The visit was therefore an important mile-stone that signaled a new take-off for the developing German – UAE relationship. I believe that the late start for this relationship was caused by the fact that Germany at that time was more focused on its dealings within Europe, and particularly with issues related to re-unification, East Europe and the Soviet Union. The Gulf was not at the centre of its geo-strategic preoccupations. The German Government of course valued the stability of the Gulf region that insured the steady flow of oil to fuel the economic growth of Europe, but none of the German companies were involved in oil exploration or exploitation in the region, in the way that French, British and American companies were.  

Weizs?cker′s State visit was the first expression of an interest in Germany in looking to the Gulf as an important trading and financial partner. The visit went very well. It was the first time that the two leaders had met. Weizs?cker was a wise and intelligent leader and shared many qualities with Sheikh Zayed.  Therefore, the two men established a very warm personal rapport that helped cement their friendship.

The developing UAE- German relations though continued at a relatively low level for a little while longer until Chancellor Gerhard Schr?der came to visit the Emirates. That visit, I think, signaled the beginning of much stronger and more robust German-UAE ties that continued to prosper under Chancellor Angela Merkel who also came here. The UAE-German relationship could therefore be defined as an evolving one that started, I would say, with President Weizs?cker’s visit, and continued to develop under his successors until it grew into a strategic partnership that serves the mutual interests of both countries. Germany and the UAE share many values and objectives. They are dedicated to maintaining world order and stability, to follow policies of moderation and international co-operation, and to care deeply for environmental and humanitarian issues. Their partnership continues to grow in the present day in the economic, commercial, financial and cultural domains. Chancellor Schr?der, as an example, was involved in the foundation of Abu Dhabi University. We have a German school here, and offices of the Goethe-Institute are active in disseminating the German language and culture in the Emirates.

I remember that Weizs?cker gave Sheikh Zayed Frederick II’s book about falcon hunting as a gift. Obviously, he knew that one of Sheikh Zayed’s passions was hunting with falcons. Frederick II’s “De arte venandi cum avibus” shows that this hunting sport is an ancient and noble tradition, one shared by different nations and cultures. I remember that Sheikh Zayed was impressed by this book and was interested to hear the story behind it. He himself was always keen to develop more interest in falconry worldwide. He supported international conferences, such as that of 1976 in which I participated. An introduction was made by Sheikh Zayed himself to the book published on the occasion of this event. Abu Dhabi and the UAE worked very actively at the UNESCO to establish falconry as part of humanity’s intangible heritage. 

Sheikh Zayed visited Weizs?cker in Germany to follow up on this developing relationship. He liked Germany of course and went several times there privately as well. Germany was highly regarded by the people of the UAE as a successful advanced nation that provided the highest standards in industry, medicine, and other services. 

The strategic partnership between the two countries therefore could be said to have begun with the Weizs?cker visit, but that It was only after the 1990s with the arrival of Chancellor Schr?der that UAE-German relations really took off.    

Zayed’s beginnings in Al Ain

As governor of Al Ain, Zayed overcomes his country's deep economic depression | The charismatic leadership skills of the early years prove against all odds and especially by solving the most important water problems Zayed's destiny for the very big task

The origins of Sheikh Zayed’s development lie in Al Ain. Even as early as the 1930s his name was mentioned in British documents of the period because he was known to have met with all the visitors that came to the region and was eager to help the oil exploration teams that were prospecting the land. He knew the topography of his country and had traveled extensively himself in its different regions. In 1946 his brother the Ruler of the Emirate appointed him as Governor of Al Ain and the Eastern Region of the Emirate.  It was as Governor that he demonstrated his remarkable qualities as leader. Although Abu Dhabi in its pre-oil era had scant resources, Sheikh Zayed was able to establish law and order rapidly in an unsettled region and to begin an ambitious programme of development- sometimes financed by borrowing funds from traders and friends- to improve the standards of living of its inhabitants.  

His task was enormously difficult. Abu Dhabi had known a prosperous past in the nineteenth century under the reign of his namesake Zayed the Great, financed by a flourishing pearl trade secured through a large fishing fleet. The death of Zayed I in 1909 brought this prosperous era to an abrupt end. Domestic political instability, the break- out of WW1, the development of the Japanese cultured pearl, and the World Depression of the 1930s brought the economic life in Abu Dhabi to a standstill.  The collapse of the pearl trade led to many people emigrating from the Emirates to seek jobs and livelihood abroad. So when Sheikh Zayed assumed office as Governor of Al Ain in 1946 there were very limited resources at his disposal to carry out his ambitious vision for the future of his country.

Sheikh Zayed showed his mettle as a charismatic leader and a visionary reformer in those trying years.  Although he did not have a police force to ensure order in an area known for its lawlessness, for example, he recruited the tribesmen as companions to ensure the safety of the inhabitants of the region. He co-opted the tribes to help him manually in restoring the Aflaj (underground canal) system of irrigation in the oasis of Al Ain, thus improving agricultural output. He helped open a clinic and a small school to ensure some minimal services and built stores in a central market that he gave free of charge to local merchants to promote their trade.  He had to borrow funds to finance most of his plans, but he was able to gain status, both inside his land and regionally, as an outstanding leader with an enormous charismatic appeal, a visionary reformer who is dedicated to the well-being of his people. Those early years in Al Ain prepared him for the supreme task that was destined for him in leading the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as its Ruler in 1966 and subsequently in establishing the federation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 to survive and prosper against all odds when Britain abruptly withdrew its security umbrella from the region and the new State had to put in place rapidly an alternative security structure that could safeguard its sovereignty and ensure the stability of the region.

Working with Khan

A passionate agriculture advisor helps Zayed realize his vision | Pioneer in environmental protection | Radical water rights reforms for rich and poor | Zayed's self-sacrifice for the common good | UAE leading foundation nation for humanitarian aid worldwide

One of the experts who helped in the development of agriculture in Al Ain was Abdul Khan. He has written a wonderful book about his experience there. He knew the thoughts of Sheikh Zayed, who had a real passion for agriculture and farming. Sheikh Zayed always believed that it is important to make the soil of the land more fertile, to encourage farming, to bring more produce out of the land while preserving the environment as well. Sheikh Zayed was in fact an environmentalist from his early years, even before it became fashionable worldwide to talk about it. He respected nature and always exhorted his people to do everything they can to preserve its resources for future generations. And at the same time, it was of extreme importance for him to develop agriculture as the means of diversifying the economy base of his country. 

As I said his agricultural reforms began early in his career in Al Ain. As an example, he began his reign by instituting a revolutionary way of looking at the water rights that flew in the Aflaj (irrigation canals) of the region. Traditionally, the rich families held the historic ownership of majority water rights in the palm groves, using water at their discretion, leaving whatever was left-over to the smaller farms. Sheikh Zayed set out to change this system. He said that water rights should belong to the public as a common resource, because water is a gift from God. He declared that henceforth water available through his scheme would be offered equally to all farmers who wished to pool their water rights with him. To set the example, he pooled the Ruling family’s water rights in its extensive palm groves in the region with those of the others and said, we will make water available to everybody joining this public scheme according to need. Initially the rich families did not wish to join his scheme. However, Sheikh Zayed set out to repair the old Aflaj and built a new one that brought abundant water to the oasis in amounts that exceeded the old flow. When the rich families saw that the public scheme offered more water resources than was available under the older system, they readily accepted to join his scheme. Sheikh Zayed won them over by persuasion, not coercion. That set the tone for his leadership style in all matters of state in the future.                                                                                 

Sheikh Zayed never imposed his opinions or his ideas on others. He led by example and allowed others to see the success of his schemes before he co-opted them to work with him in implementing his ambitious plans for the future of his country. He succeeded in winning others to his vision because his objective always was to ensure that everybody should be a winner, that any enterprise they undertake together is meant to foster a win-win situation for all sides. There were no sacrifices demanded of others that he didn’t start by offering himself. 

This was how he subsequently ruled in Abu Dhabi from 1966 until 1971 when he also became the President of the UAE. This was how he was able to bring on board the Rulers of the other Emirates in joining him in establishing the Federation, a task that most diplomatic observers of the period thought an impossible one. 

Sacrificing himself by working hard through sickness and good health for the benefit of his people, wishing to do good and to help others, that was his passion, his driving force, his conviction. He viewed his role as being that of a custodian, assigned with a mission to serve his people. He always said that public office was a call to duty, that wealth was a gift that is entrusted to us, so that we can make our people have a better livelihood and so that we can help others in their need no matter their creed, nationality, or race. His vision went far beyond the needs of his own people, because he always saw the whole of humanity as one family. There are obligations and duties of kinship that enjoin us to work together, help each other, maintain the peace and alleviate the suffering of mankind. His creed has become the foundation stone for the policies of today’s generation of leaders in the UAE. This is the reason why we are celebrating this year the Centenary of Zayed’s birth as the Year of Zayed and the Year of Giving. And this is why the UAE continues to be, in terms of its GNP, a leading donor of humanitarian aid in the world.

The Interview with H.E. Zaki Nusseibeh was conducted by Dr. Frank H?selbarth, Abu Dhabi, June 11th, 2018

H.E.  Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh was born in Jerusalem and graduated from the University of Cambridge, UK. Currently he is the Cultural Advisor to HH the President and the Chancellor of the UAEU. Prior to that he was Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abu Dhabi. He was awarded as the title of Personality of the Year 2018 at the Emirates Literary Festival; In October 2020, he was appointed chancellor of UAE University. The aristocratic Arab Nusseibeh family are guardians of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, whose keys were entrusted to them by Saladin in or before 1192.