He took his spoon, scooped a generous portion of Omani halwa (a sweet) from a silver plate placed on the small table between us, and handed it to his guest.
It was my first meeting with Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, an encounter that was followed by several others over the years, but one that literally left its mark.
Shaikh Zayed surprised me, and, among all of the heads of states I was privileged to interview during the past two decades, stood out for being an unpretentious leader anxious to answer questions and explain policy initiatives.
As the UAE celebrates its 40th anniversary as a federal entity, many will reflect on their personal experiences, or reminisce about similar meetings with some of its leaders.
Some will testify to the country’s miraculous creation, and how what were essentially small shaikhdoms with paltry accommodation, few or no transportation systems, and limited electricity, were transformed into modern entities.
They will examine old photographs that portray inadequate living conditions, reveal vehicles stuck in sand, and otherwise reflect on overall scarcities.
Most will confirm that courageous men like Shaikh Zayed, along with Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai and others, embarked on what was a haphazard adventure to help achieve the miracle that the UAE is today.
To be sure, these men displayed exceptional skills, but there was something else to their successes. While what they all wanted was rapid modernisation without sacrificing their values, Shaikh Zayed and his partners insisted on retaining intrinsic norms, perhaps to preserve their views of the Emirati character.
Even as they pushed forward, and it would be fair to state this assertion as clearly as possible, these men were in a calculated hurry faced with enormous regional challenges.
Within a very short period of time, they agreed upon a political structure — a confederal system that grew into the current federal entity — that was wrought with many difficulties, amid chaotic contexts.
The nascent federation saw light at the height of Arab nationalism that was, in turn, hostage to the vagaries of successive Arab-Israeli conflicts, religious extremism, and military rule.
Nationalism
In the event, the UAE experiment, and it was just that during the first two decades, succeeded because key leaders knew how to protect themselves from the triple burdens of Arab nationalism, voracious Zionist intrusions in Arab affairs, and intrusive dictatorial infringements galore.
They placed putative national interests above what were no more than tribal requirements. Shaikh Zayed and Shaikh Rashid rose above the fray, even when doing so was not as clear as many assumed.
Remarkably, while both men were competitive, they seldom crossed the responsibility threshold. It seldom occurred to either leader to plot against the other, as was the custom in the Lower Gulf region for centuries, and which was no longer a viable option.
Therefore, how these sophisticated Bedouin leaders identified, polished, and articulated the very idea of the ‘national interest’ of the UAE was their secret.
It was not just a series of miracles, or the expenditure of vast sums of money that made the UAE, for insisting that financial largesse achieved it all would truly miss the larger picture.
Rather, and because this vision was clarified and implemented when few anticipated the potential that oil income would provide, it was the singular phenomenon of greatness that propelled the seven founding shaikhs to put aside differences and forge a better union.
The unstated secret, one that these tribal leaders were eager to apply, was their innate skills to transform compromises into partnerships.
Shaikh Zayed’s dexterity need not be reiterated here though he was lucky to have genuine partners who welcomed his counsel. Moreover, to say that the man had a vision for his nation would also be an understatement, especially in the context of Arab affairs between 1971 and 2004. Even his sense of humanity, which made him the true leader he was, would just be stating the obvious.
Instead, one ought to focus on his sense of self-effacement, his humility, and unpretentiousness. Here was a mere mortal who could mingle with contemporary leaders, exchange niceties with his tribesmen, comfort the destitute, or share Omani halwa with a guest.
A man who truly fulfilled his dream to convert the desert into gardens and forests, when others merely spoke about their accomplishments, and who did not define his record by the number of airports, harbours, schools, hospitals, and other facilities.
Shaikh Zayed set the bar higher than most since the challenge that preoccupied him, one that he questioned me about on several occasions, was the progress of Emiratis.
What did the observer notice in his people? Were there improvements year after year and were these qualitatively noticeable? What kinds of difficulties might they face, especially as Emiratis engaged people from other countries, and what else could he do to facilitate their integration among the nations of the world?
Such preoccupations essentially meant that beyond fancy projects and shopping malls, beyond literary prizes and majestic palaces, Shaikh Zayed and his founding partners knew how to separate the wheat from the chaff.
They wanted Emiratis to work with each other to secure the nascent federation and, above all else, to inspire young men and women to excel. That was a palpable legacy of true greatness.
Dr Joseph A. Kechichian is a commentator and author of several books on Gulf affairs.
