Celebrating A Special Relationship: UAE & UK

United Arab Emirates & United Kingdom

Celebrating a SpeCial relationShip

Published with the support of

U&U Prelims.indd 1 11/11/10 2:44 PM

Queen elizabeth ii receives the key to the city from Sheikh hamdan bin rashid al Maktoum and Kamal hamza during her inauguration of the Dubai Municipality complex in 1979.


United Arab Emirates & United Kingdom

Celebrating a SpeCial relationShip

By Royal Photographer Noor Ali Rashid


Other Motivate titles by Noor Ali Rashid

Abu Dhabi – Life and TimesDubai – Life and TimesThe UAE – Visions of ChangeSheikh Zayed – Life and TimesSheikh Maktoum – Life and TimesSheikh Khalifa – Life and TimesSheikh Mohammed – Life and TimesSheikh Sultan – Life and Times

Published by Motivate Publishing

Dubai: po box 2331, Dubai, Uaetel: (+971 4) 282 4060, fax: (+971 4) 282 7898e-mail: [email protected] www.booksarabia.com

office 508, building no 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, Uaetel: (+971 4) 390 3550, fax: (+971 4) 390 4845

Abu Dhabi: po box 43072, abu Dhabi, Uaetel: (+971 2) 677 2005, fax: (+971 2) 677 0124

London: acre house, 11/15 William road, london nW1 3ere-mail: [email protected]

Directors: obaid humaid al tayer ian Fairservice

Senior editor: Catherine belbin editor: Moushumi nandy

editorial team: rue Kothari iain Smith Charlie banalo belinda igaya Zelda pinto

Author’s Teamphoto archivist: Shamsa rashidphoto researcher: Samia rashideditorial Coordinator: Yasmin rashid

© noor ali rashid and Motivate publishing 2010

all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the copyright holders. applications for the copyright holders’ written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publishers. in accordance with the international Copyright act 1956 and the Uae Federal law no. (7) of 2002, Concerning Copyrights and neighbouring rights, any person acting in contravention of this copyright will be liable to criminal prosecu tion and civil claims for damages.

iSbn: 978 1 86063 300 3

british library Cataloguing-in-publication Data. a catalogue record for this book is available from the british library.

printed and bound in the Uae by emirates printing press, Dubai.


DedicationOn behalf of our beloved father, Noor Ali Rashid, this book is dedicated to the

ruling families and people of the United Arab Emirates.


Celebrating a SpeCial relationShip UniteD arab eMirateS & UniteD KingDoM

his highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al nahyan, president of the Uae and ruler of abu Dhabi and his highness Sheikh Mohammed bin rashid al Maktoum, Vice-president and prime Minister of the Uae and ruler of Dubai, with the british prime Minister David Cameron on his visit to the Uae in 2010.


Celebrating a SpeCial relationShip UniteD arab eMirateS & UniteD KingDoM

FOREWORD

This UK Government is committed to deepening and strengthening our engagement with the United Arab Emirates in all areas of cooperation. So I am proud to commend the publication of Celebrating a Special Relationship: United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

This is a photographic tribute to the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates spanning over 150 years.Through rare and beautiful photography it illustrates the intensity of the relationship between the peoples and cultures of these two wonderful nations. The 2010 State Visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates – which this book commemorates – is testimony of the strength of the friendship at the very highest level.

I am extremely proud of the role British commitment and expertise has played in building the modern day Emirates. I am equally delighted by the contribution Emiratis have made to British culture, industry and beyond. I am glad that this book is able to capture these contributions, and hope that its iconic photographs will inspire those working to build from this and further deepen our bilateral ties in the months and years ahead.

David CameronBritish Prime Minister


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his highness Sheikh Mohammed bin rashid al Maktoum, Vice-president and prime Minister of the Uae and ruler of Dubai greets british prime Minister David Cameron.


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PREFAcE

The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom enjoy a relationship based on common interests and a unique history. The 1971 Treaty of Friendship between Britain and the UAE provides a bellwether for communications and cooperation between our people and our businesses – from defense and security, trade and investment, energy and climate change, international development, culture, education, health, sport and political relations. Our relationship has grown strong, resilient, deep and durable. The friendship between Britain and the UAE is the foundation to the prosperous and secure future in which both countries so firmly believe.

This month’s visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is a testament to our enduring bond. It was my great honour to meet Her Majesty on her first visit to Dubai in 1979. In the last three decades and more, the UAE has grown and developed from a mere infant to become a respected member of the global community, and a nation of people who bridge thinking, cultural respect and understanding across the world. We are an economically and politically stable trading partner with a confident outlook. Though we are a major oil producer, the UAE is deeply committed to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

Over the years, I have enjoyed the friendship of Her Majesty and was recently received as a guest of Their Royal Highnesses at Windsor castle. I believe that the warmth of our relationship is testimony to the strength of the ties that bind our two countries, and to the future we both envision for our communities. As the founding father of the UAE Sheikh Zayed once said, “History is a continuous chain of events. The present is only an extension of the past.”

The UAE and the UK are bound together by more than history and the strong personal relationships of our leaders. Most importantly, we honour and respect our rich cultures and our proud traditions. Upon these lasting values our friendship was born, and upon them it will endure.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumVice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai


emirati schoolgirls in national costume form part of the enthusiastic crowd that welcomed hrM Queen elizabeth when she made her first State Visit to the United arab emirates in 1979.


Emirati schoolgirls in national costume form part of the enthusiastic crowd that welcomed Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II when she made her first State Visit to the United Arab Emirates in 1979.


INTRODUCTION

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made her first official State visit in 1979 to the UAE on the invitation of President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. During this royal occasion Her Majesty experienced first hand the warm and hospitable Emirati culture. Accompanied by Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth inaugurated numerous British-built landmarks, since which time the United Arab Emirates has experienced an astounding transformation.

Britain’s contribution to the development of the UAE, and vice-versa, cannot be underestimated, from the Political Agents of the 1950s who integrated themselves into the local culture, both learning from and advising the Trucial sheikhs, to the first British expatriates who arrived in the country to help build its very foundations. This has been a partnership of genuine commitment and affection.

Today, the commercial, political and economic seeds that were planted nearly 200 years ago have borne fruit for both nations. The UAE is home to nearly 150,000 British people; successful companies across industries that are owned or managed by British professionals; and a buoyant market demand for UK products and services. In turn, the UAE is investing significantly in iconic projects across the United Kingdom. Working together to maximize bilateral opportunities, the relationship will continue to grow and prosper.

In this original book, we take a journey back to the 1950s and visit the Emirates as they were. We meet nation builders, rulers, royalty and the ordinary men and women who made the Emirates their home. Through a rare collection of photographs by the UAE’s royal photographer, the late Noor Ali Rashid, we are granted a tantalizing glimpse of innocent times, revisiting the moments that made history. In the present day, we are treated to a visual narrative that explores the areas of politics, trade, architecture, education, sport, art and culture where Britain and the UAE enjoy a particularly close association.

Commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the UAE, we celebrate the unique relationship between the two nations and hopes for an auspicious future.


Contents

Introduction 10

1 History: Origin, Roots and Beginnings 14

2 Bilateral Relations: Friends, Rulers and Royalty 48

3 Commerce: Business, Trade Routes and Industry 62

4 Infrastructure: Biggest, Largest and Tallest 78

5 Education, Health & Sports: Mind, Body and Soul 98

6 Lifestyle & Arts: Society, Culture and Tradition 122

Looking Ahead 140

A Tribute to the Royal Photographer 142

Acknowledgements 144


celebrating a special relationship United arab emirates & United Kingdom

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Britain Began trading in the arabian gulf in the seventeenth century, the trade routes of the east india Company stretching past the sheikhdoms of the gulf right through to india. But the journey was a treacherous one; the seas filled with danger for ships laden with precious cargo. Following a short period of conflict early in the nineteenth century, on January 8, 1820, the general Maritime Peace treaty was signed between the British government and the sheikhs of the arab Coast to ensure a safer passage for their ships, uniting the two nations in an accord that would endure the centuries.

the first local residency agent was appointed by the British to monitor the region from his post in Sharjah, replaced by a British Political agent nearly sixteen years later to encourage an even closer liaison. By 1853, it had become clear that a further assurance was needed, and the Perpetual Maritime Peace treaty sealed Britain’s relationship with the leaders of the coastal sheikhdoms. renamed the trucial States, it marked the start of a period of peace and progress. But the trucial Coast was not completely free of threat from other powerful nations seeking to gain authority in the region. So in 1892, the trucial sheikhs agreed to be bound to Britain by the exclusive agreement. this guaranteed that the special allegiance that existed to protect British trade interests would not be shared with competing nations, and obliged Britain to manage the defence and foreign relations of the trucial States, with specially trained administrators and officers sent to manage the finer details.

at the start of the twentieth century, there had been some discussion about Britain formalizing their protectorate over the trucial States. Policy thus far had relied on the trust and goodwill that existed between the British, the sheikhs and their people and this amicable arrangement continued, with the British government taking a laissez-faire approach, allowing the states to manage their own affairs with some guidance and negotiation on matters of oil and aircraft. to maintain the situation from the ground, the Political agency in the trucial States was moved from Sharjah to Dubai in 1953, and in 1957 the Political Officer post at abu Dhabi was opened, only to be promoted to Political agency in 1961 after the advent of oil in the capital.

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history: origin, roots and beginnings

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after the Second World War, the relationship with Britain intensified with the creation of the trucial States Council in 1952, initially under the chairmanship of the British Political agent and then, from 1965 onwards, by Sheikh Saqr, the ruler of ra’s al-Khaimah. the council was formed to bring all the rulers of the states closer together both politically and economically, and to promote the beginnings of modern development.

the establishment of the Council coincided with the establishment of the trucial Oman Levies, later the trucial Oman Scouts (tOS), which, commanded by British officers, worked in association with the rulers of each emirate to establish law and order outside the towns. the tOS also undertook civilian duties, such as running emergency ambulance services, and many of its solders later rose to high ranks in the Uae armed Forces.

By 1935, the exploration for oil had begun, led by British Petroleum, with the first well being drilled in 1950. the first commercial discovery was made in 1958, offshore abu Dhabi, and just four years later exports began. Dubai also found oil offshore in 1966 and production started three years later. the flow of funds allowed Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al nahyan of abu Dhabi, who became ruler in 1966, and his colleague, Sheikh rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum of Dubai, to plan for development. British expertise, both that of individuals and companies, was to prove of inestimable benefit in that process.

Meanwhile in the midst of an economic crisis in London, the Labour government was addressing ways of reducing national expenditure. One was a decision to withdraw all British troops from east of Suez, with the consequent closure of the military base in Sharjah. the withdrawal was announced in early 1968, and, with British encouragement, the seven emirates, led by Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh rashid, set about forming what was to become the federation of the Uae. initial hopes that Qatar and Bahrain would join the new state were dashed and, on July 18, 1971, six rulers from abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain and Fujairah, agreed to create the Uae, which was formally born on December 2, 1971. ra’s al-Khaimah joined a few weeks later.

the scores of British workers and their families who had arrived in the area over the previous years had become integral parts of industry and commerce in the region, while their families had settled in communities and schools across the emirates. it was natural that they would stay on. On December 1, 1971, the British Political resident in the gulf flew from Bahrain to the trucial Coast for a final farewell tour by car and helicopter. He visited each ruler to speak earnest words of departure, delivering a formal declaration of withdrawal. the next day, after the formal creation of the Uae federation, a new treaty of friendship with Britain was signed – the Political resident then departing.


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Sheikh Zayed, who had played a leading role in funding early development projects leading up to the union of the states, became the first President and Sheikh rashid the first Vice President, while the trucial Oman Scouts formed the nucleus of the new Union Defence Force. abu Dhabi city, capital of the largest and richest emirate, also became the federal capital.

British Political Officers and agents stationed in the emirates had been joined in the 1950s by a growing wave of skilled British professionals attracted to the opportunities presented by the emerging economy. in 1957, Christopher Meyer from British surveying firm Windell and trollope visited Dubai and reported there were only twelve europeans in Dubai.

British diplomat Julian Walker was only twenty-three years old when he received his first posting to Sharjah, as the deputy political agent. He found the region fascinating to discover, and despite the lack of luxuries, the tinned food at Christmas and the extreme heat of summer, Walker enjoyed driving his Land rover and watching movies at the raF base in Sharjah. Leading up to federation he received an important commission to draw the first boundaries that would separate the seven emirates. Over five years he explored the desert, becoming familiar with the territory, meeting with tribesmen and consulting with the rulers before marking out the borders. Much of his work remains unchanged today.

even after Walker took posts in London and Morocco, he remained a firm friend of Sheikh Zayed, hosting him as a guest during a visit to London in 1955. recalled to the Middle east in the mid 1960s, Walker became the Uae’s first British Consul-general and was one of the few British present at the inaugural signing of the peace treaty in 1971. even after his retirement in 1994, he regularly returned to the Uae to provide valuable advice to construction and development firms in the region.

among other early British expatriates to play a significant role in the nation’s development was edward Henderson, posted to the Uae to work with the iraq Petroleum Company that transformed the financial future of the emirates by helping to turn their discovery of oil into hugely profitable production. Later transferred to the British Foreign Office, he was noted for his sophisticated negotiating skills and strong personality and maintained friendly ties with all parties during times of great change in the region.

Henderson also established a close friendship with Sheikh Zayed, then abu Dhabi ruler’s representative in al ain, and in 1959 he was appointed as abu Dhabi’s new Political Officer. there he wasted no time in strengthening his friendship with all the rulers of the emirates. after his retirement in 1974 Henderson was invited by Sheikh Zayed to return to abu Dhabi, working for many years at the Centre for Documentation and research, consolidating his reputation as one of the foremost experts on the region.


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One of the most prominent figures in the early history of what was then the trucial States was the British Political agent Donald Hawley. He took his first diplomatic post in the region in 1958 and was closely involved with all aspects of the relationship with Britain. Sheikh rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum greatly valued Hawley’s development experience to assist in the growth of his fledgling city, Dubai. Hawley stayed for four years before taking a new post. as with many of the significant characters to emerge from this shared history, he never lost his love and appreciation for the gulf region, penning an historic book, The Trucial States, and being recognized as both distinguished diplomat and writer.

another key figure to shape the topography and history of the Uae was John Harris. Coincidentally, he met Hawley while on holiday in London and was keen to make a trip to visit his new friend in the trucial States. there he was introduced to Sheikh rashid, who hired Harris as Dubai’s first town planner. at just thirty-eight years of age, he began the momentous task of creating a city from scratch. it was a role that grew to include the development of healthcare facilities at Dubai’s Maktoum Hospital and designing Dubai’s first landmark skyscraper, the World trade Centre.

Sir William Luce was from 1961–1966 the British Political resident in the gulf, based in Bahrain, a post that placed him in charge of the Political Officers in the trucial States. His love for the gulf region led him to be recalled from retirement from 1970–1972 as the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary’s Personal representative for gulf affairs. He died in 1977 and the William Luce Memorial Fund was set up to support the study of those parts of the arab world to which he devoted his working life to stimulate research, discussion and publication about the gulf, encouraging more learning and specialism in the region which so inspired him.

Other leading British figures in the period from the late 1950s up until the formation of the Uae federation, and sometimes afterwards, included Sir Hugh Boustead, Political agent in abu Dhabi from 1961–1965, Peter Lorimer, who established Dubai’s Police, Kenneth timbrell, for some time the Commanding Officer of the British troops in Sharjah, and Colonel e. B. ‘tug’ Wilson, a former trucial Oman Scouts officer who became the commander of the abu Dhabi Defence Force.

Others who contributed to the process of ‘nation building’, including the development of infrastructure and utilities, were Bill Duff, financial adviser to Dubai’s ruler and the key executive within Dubai Ports and Customs. eric tulloch was another prolific figure, coming to Dubai at the behest of Sheikh rashid as the city’s first chief water engineer. He helped to set up the first central water system that by 1961 was supplying fresh water to homes in the emirate. Both fast friends, they, along with neville allen of


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sheikh Zayed with sir geoffrey arthur of great britain, seated at the signing of the Federation of the United arab emirates.


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Halcrow joined John Harris in the special committee formed to ensure the quick and efficient delivery of a new, modern city.

in abu Dhabi, of course, many British people were involved in the development of the emirate’s oil industry, both offshore and onshore, generating the wealth that was to allow the Uae to grow.

these initial British residents, some temporary and some of whom stayed for many years, laid the foundations of the community that would thrive in the newly formed Uae. From the relatively undeveloped emirates of Sharjah and abu Dhabi in the 1960s, we see the high-tech metropolises of the twenty-first century and these people, many of whom have families or descendants still residing in the emirates, are still very much a part of the fabric of society. From those twelve expats reported to be living in Dubai in 1947, today there are estimated to be nearly 150,000 British people who have made Uae their home.

Over the years, the United arab emirates and United Kingdom have formed an enduring alliance. the friendship founded on treaties and agreements made more than a century ago is still providing mutual benefits to this day. the seeds of this commercial relationship were sown in the 1920s and 1930s when rulers of the trucial States and the British government agreed that all oil and banking concessions would be granted to British appointed entities. By 2003, the value of British investment in the Uae represented the UK’s largest foreign investment in the Middle east. Similarly, investment from the United arab emirates continues to fund iconic British projects and businesses including the London gateway – one of the biggest port and logistic complexes in europe; football club Manchester City; and Virgin galactic that will offer the first commercial flights into space.

now, a UK-Uae Joint economic Committee has been formed to steer the financial future of this profitable relationship. their initial goal is to expand bilateral trade by sixty per cent to Dhs 65 billion (£12 billion) by 2015. Over the last eighteen months the committee has met in both countries to discusshow to increase joint investment opportunities. the strategic approach willsee task forces gathering information, bringing together business leaders anddecision makers to help achieve this. investment will not only be financial, but also environmental.

aside from the historic ties with petroleum giants BP and Shell, the Uae is also committed to helping Britain meet its own future energy needs, together tackling global warming to align with agreements set at the 2009 Copenhagen accord. Demonstrating how this works in practice, in 2008 abu Dhabi’s government-run Masdar, set up to develop sustainable and clean energy for the emirates, took a twenty per cent stake in the groundbreaking London array project, a 1,000-megawatt wind farm. Collaboration in scientific research, on the environment, geology, archaeology, medicine and much more is another area of the long-established and burgeoning partnership.


Celebrating A Special Relationship: UAE & UK

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