In 2024, the President of the UAE declared July 18 as Union Pledge Day, when the founding fathers came together to sign the declaration of the Union and of the UAE Constitution. It was then that the official name of the country, the United Arab Emirates, was announced. Historians and historical archivers tell Khaleej Times of the lead up to that historical date.
The historic gathering at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah, Dubai, on July 18, 1971, marked the culmination of years of careful deliberation, consultation, and diplomatic negotiations that would forever change the landscape of the Arabian Peninsula.
The long road to union
Dr Hamad bin Sarai, an Emirati historian, university professor, heritage researcher, and cultural consultant, emphasised that the formation of the UAE was far from a spontaneous decision. Speaking to Khaleej Times, he revealed the extensive groundwork that preceded the historic declaration.
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“The steps that began in 1968 with the formation of the United Arab Emirates went through many stages, during which the founding fathers, may God have mercy on them, exerted all their efforts to establish the foundations of this union,” Dr bin Sarai stated.
The historian stressed that the union “did not come out of nowhere or by chance; rather, it was the result of discussions, consultations, and listening sessions with researchers and consultants, along with numerous rounds of talks where representatives from the seven emirates, as well as Bahrain and Qatar, participated.”
These extensive deliberations covered crucial aspects of the proposed federation, including the fundamental structure of the union, the administrative and political framework, border demarcations, the distribution of powers among the emirates, and the selection process for the president and vice president of the union.
Constitutional foundation
The UAE constitution, which was formally adopted on July 18, 1971, underwent rigorous development through various phases of discussion and refinement. Dr bin Sarai noted that “all the institutions of the union underwent extensive discussions, with the constitution of the union being at the forefront, which also went through various phases.”
The constitutional framework established on Union Pledge Day laid the groundwork for the federal structure that continues to govern the UAE today, balancing federal authority with the autonomy of individual emirates.
Historic moments captured
The National Archive and Library of the United Arab Emirates has preserved remarkable photographic documentation of the historic events of July 1971, providing visual testimony to the momentous occasions that shaped the nation’s founding.
Among the preserved images is a photograph of Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi during his announcement of the statement declaring the establishment of the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on July 18, 1971, as documented by Al-Ittihad Newspaper.
Another significant photograph captures Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi during a meeting of the Conference of Rulers that led to the declaration of the United Arab Emirates at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah on July 18, 1971.
The archives also document the collaborative spirit of the founding fathers, with images showing Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum during meetings of the Council of Rulers of the Emirates at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah throughout July 1971.
Additional archival photographs capture the extensive consultations that preceded the historic declaration, including an image of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan speaking with Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, in the presence of Sheikh Hamid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi and Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Mualla during the meetings held among the rulers of the Emirates to discuss the establishment of the United Arab Emirates at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah between July 11-18, 1971.
The National Archive also preserves moments of camaraderie among the leadership, with a photograph showing Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mualla, and Khalaf bin Ahmed Al Otaiba in a friendly conversation at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah during the period of July 10-18, 1971.
The significance of July
Dr bin Sarai highlighted the particular importance of July 1971 in the UAE’s founding narrative, describing it as the month that “signifies the initial maturity of the union and its emergence and prosperity, marked by the raising of the union flag on the second of December”.
He explained that while December 2, 1971, marked “the establishment of the foundations of the union”, July represented “the initial phase of dialogue and consultations” that made the eventual federation possible.
The historian’s account underscores that Union Pledge Day represents not just a single moment of declaration, but the culmination of a carefully orchestrated process of nation-building that involved extensive consultation, negotiation, and consensus-building among the emirates’ leadership.
A foundation for future generations
The declaration of the United Arab Emirates on July 18, 1971, established more than just a political union; it created a framework for shared prosperity, security, and development that has enabled the UAE to emerge as a global hub for commerce, innovation, and cultural exchange.
The wisdom and foresight demonstrated by the founding fathers during those crucial July days in 1971 continue to guide the UAE’s development trajectory, with Union Pledge Day serving as an annual reminder of the vision, determination, and collaborative spirit that brought the nation into being.
As the UAE continues to evolve and expand its global influence, the principles established during those historic consultations at the Guest Palace in Jumeirah remain fundamental to the nation’s identity and governance structure.
Opening move
Dr Saif Al Bedwawi, a professor of modern Gulf history, told Khaleej Times of how the idea for a United Arab Emirates came to be. It was January 1968, when the rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, respectively, met in a gathering referred to ‘Sumaih meeting’.
They came to a conclusion of signing an agreement of unity between their prospective emirates and invited other emirates to join. All the others agreed, and by February, a new agreement was signed by the seven emirates, in addition to Bahrain and Qatar.
However, that did not last long. “Unfortunately, some obstacles like where the capital of the new federal state should be. Also, neighbouring countries like Iran tried to manipulate the situation by threatening to seize the Islands,” Al Bedwawi said.
Three years later, in May 1971, Sheikh Zayed formed an envoy to visit all the rulers and assess their points of view. However, during the summertime, as he was spending his holidays in Switzerland, Sheikh Zayed heard the news that both Qatar and Bahrain opted out of the Union Agreement, instead choosing their own independence.
Rocky beginnings
In the following months, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid met many times with other rulers who had visited Abu Dhabi. Finally, Sheikh Zayed established a cabinet, which Al Bedwawi said was a challenge to other states as “[Sheikh] Zayed was ready to launch a federation with any state.”
On July 10 to 17, all the Rulers of the Trucial States came to Jumeirah and kept negotiating for eight days that ended with a final agreement of a Federation of the Emirates,” he said, adding that Ras Al Khaimah’s integration had some circumstances that delayed its intervention to 10th of February, 1972. “The announcement on 2nd of December, 1971, came as a result of the founding fathers’ long processes of talks and negotiation,” he added.
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