UAE-KSA Relations

The relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is naturally based on proximity, shared customs and traditions.  Under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the closeness between the two countries was further enhanced and cemented to produce political unity and a shared and complimentary destiny.

This exhibition seeks to set out some of the milestones in that relationship that has proved so powerful and positive over the years.

Author: UAE National Library and Archives

The 1960s

 

Telegram from Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, congratulating him on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, 1966. © UAE National Library and Archives

Letter from Political Agency, Abu Dhabi enclosing the copy in translation of the telegram sent to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Letter from Political Agency, Abu Dhabi enclosing the copy in translation of the telegram sent to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Letter from Political Agency, Abu Dhabi enclosing the copy in translation of the telegram sent to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Letter from Political Agency, Abu Dhabi enclosing the copy in translation of the telegram sent to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Letter from Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia regarding the agreement reached between the Saudi and Abu Dhabi delegations in the Arab Finance, Oil and Economic Conference in Baghdad, 28 August 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Letter from King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, concerning the latter’s visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 18 February 1967. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Press cutting from “News of Saudi Arabia” regarding Ras Al Khaimah’s goodwill mission to Saudi Arabia, 1968. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

The 1970s

King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of the UAE, meeting to reaffirm bilateral collaborations for a better future in the region, 7 May 1970. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi’s statement on his meeting with King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, 15 December 1971. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Report on the visit of the UAE delegation led by Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 14 December 1971. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Congratulatory telegram from Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi, to Prince Nawwaf Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on the occasion of Eid Al Adha, 1971. Source: UAE National Library and Archives

Extract of a telegram referring to a TV Broadcast given by Prince Nawwaf Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on Saudi Arabia’s continued ambition towards good relations with the United Arab Emirates and its efforts to solve all problems between the two countries, 1972. Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration of Maryland USA

Extract of a telegram referring to a TV Broadcast given by Prince Nawwaf Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on Saudi Arabia’s continued ambition towards good relations with the United Arab Emirates and its efforts to solve all problems between the two countries, 1972. Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration of Maryland USA

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to attend a ceremony held for the fourth batch of graduates from the Saudi Aviation Institute where he was received by King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, 4 December 1974. © WAM

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan visiting King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud during the 4th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Algeria, 6 September 1973. Source: UAE National Library and Archives

Translation of joint Saudi/UAE Communique issued in Jeddah at the end of the official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, 21 August 1974. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Translation of joint Saudi/UAE Communique issued in Jeddah at the end of the official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, 21 August 1974. © Images reproduced by permission of The National Archives, London, England

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, and King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, discussing bilateral relations, Gulf cooperation, and Arab solidarity, 27 March 1976. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, and King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, discussing bilateral relations, Gulf cooperation, and Arab solidarity, 27 March 1976. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, and King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, discussing bilateral relations, Gulf cooperation, and Arab solidarity, 27 March 1976. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, and King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, discussing bilateral relations, Gulf cooperation, and Arab solidarity, 27 March 1976. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on discussions held between the UAE President and the King of Saudi Arabia, regarding bilateral ties and Gulf affairs, with a focus on the Arab position, 24 March 1978. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, with King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing on the importance of the Arab Summit, 26 March 1978. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, with King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing on the importance of the Arab Summit, 26 March 1978. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

The 1980s

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, receiving members of the GCC Summit for the first time in Abu Dhabi, 26 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, receiving members of the GCC Summit for the first time in Abu Dhabi, 26 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, receiving members of the GCC Summit for the first time in Abu Dhabi, 26 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE President, receiving members of the GCC Summit for the first time in Abu Dhabi, 26 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan addressing leaders of the Gulf to remind them about their shared destiny with the Arab World, 27 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan addressing leaders of the Gulf to remind them about their shared destiny with the Arab World, 27 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan addressing leaders of the Gulf to remind them about their shared destiny with the Arab World, 27 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan addressing leaders of the Gulf to remind them about their shared destiny with the Arab World, 27 May 1981. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan chairing the closing session of the first GCC Supreme Council held in Abu Dhabi, 26 May 1981. Source: UAE National Library and Archives

Into the millennium

Newspaper article about Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, performing Omrah and meeting with Prince Abdul Majid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Mecca, 14 December 2004. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, performs Omrah accompanied by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Saeed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 13 December 2004. Source: UAE National Library and Archives

Newspaper article on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, meeting with the Guardian of the Holy Mosques, and discussing with Prince Abdulla Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud the situation in Iraq and Palestine, 15 December 2004. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Newspaper article on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, and Saudi Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation, discussing developing relations between the two countries in various fields, 14 January 2005. © Al Ittihad Newspaper

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, receiving Saudi Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, 2005. © WAM

Newspaper article on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, and Prince Naef Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s  Minister of Interior, discussing brotherly ties between their two countries and expressing their support for the GCC mission, 15 June 2005. © Al Ittihad Newspaper