Foundation of the United Arab Emirates

Foundation of the United Arab Emirates
Part of History of the United Arab Emirates
	Sheikh Zayed hoisting the flag of the United Arab Emirates at the Union House in Jumeirah, Dubai on December 2, 1971
Native name	توحيد دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Date	February 18, 1968 – February 10, 1972 (3 years, 11 months) First phase: 18 February 1968 – 2 December 1971 Second phase: 2 December 1971 – 10 February 1972
Location	Persian Gulf Residency Trucial States; Bahrain; Qatar;
Participants	First phase: Federation of Arab Emirates Trucial States Abu Dhabi; Dubai; Ajman; Sharjah; Fujairah; Umm Al Quwain; Ras Al Khaimah; ; Bahrain; Qatar; ; ; Second phase: United Arab Emirates; Ras Al Khaimah; ;
Outcome	Union agreement between Dubai and Abu Dhabi; Creation of the Federation of Arab Emirates; Signing of the provisional constitution; Bahrain and Qatar declare independence; Dissolution of the Federation of Arab Emirates; Iranian annexation of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs; Proclamation of the United Arab Emirates; Admission of United Arab Emirates to the United Nations; Disbandment of the Persian Gulf Residency; Assassination of Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi; Accession of Ras Al Khaimah to the United Arab Emirates; Abu Dhabi–Saudi Arabia boundary dispute remains unresolved until 1974; Bahrain–Qatar territorial disputes remain unresolved until 2001;

The Foundation of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic: تأسيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة, romanized: tasis dawlat al'iimarat alearabiat almutahida) was the result of an agreement initially made between the rulers of the Trucial States of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum in the face of the British intention, announced on 24 January 1968, to withdraw from its semi-formal protectorate over the Trucial States, and its various treaty relations with them.

Following the communication of the news of British abrogation of its treaties by Labour MP Goronwy Roberts, Zayed and Rashid met at Argoub Al Sedirah in the desert between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and agreed on the principle of Union on 18 February 1968. A subsequent meeting on 25 February with the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain would lead to a proposal to create a Federation of Arab Emirates together with Bahrain and Qatar. However, Qatar and Bahrain went on to choose independent statehood.

The founding fathers of the United Arab Emirates were: Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi; Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai; Khalid bin Muhammad Al Qasimi of Sharjah; Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi of Ajman; Ahmad bin Rashid Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain; Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah and Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi of Fujairah.

Although the foundation of the United Arab Emirates was proclaimed on 2 December 1971, Ras Al Khaimah did not actually join the Union until February 1972.