“Zayed Al Khair”…Unforgettable Stands with Egypt

Sheik Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was known as the man who changed the history of the United Arab Emirates and made it a focus of attention for all. He was also known as “Zayed Al Khair” and “Hakeem Al Arab” and had many positions in love with Arab countries, especially Egypt.

Hours before the 14th anniversary of his death, the same year of his 100th birthday.

Sheik Zayed has unforgettable positions with Egypt, which he has supported, for many decades.

The relationship between Sheik Zayed and Egypt started since the era of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. The dream of leadership between the two presidents has collected one slogan : ”Arab nationalism and “Raise your head, my brother, the era of colonialism passed.” When Sheik Zayed Al Nahyan founded the united Emirates which was declared in 1971, Egypt was the first country that absolutely supported the Union and supported it because it is a pillar of international and regional stability.

Egypt started sending missions that include teachers, engineers and doctors to the United Arab Emirates before the emergence of oil in the mid-1950s. Egypt was launched in the Emirates through a humanitarian, Arab and national role, and received those who wanted to learn and transfer knowledge and expertise to their country.

After the end of the Israeli aggression on Egypt, Sheik Zayed contributed to the reconstruction of the Suez Canal cities, which were destroyed by the occupation, and his words were strongly present at all times. He used to say, “When the battle with Israel starts, we will immediately close the oil taps and we will never be far from our brothers.”

During the era of President Sadat, Egypt’s relations with the United Arab Emirates became strong due to the positions of Sheik Zayed. No one denies the man’s courage when he declared his support for Egypt in its war that began in October 1973, during his visit to Britain. At the time, he borrowed one billion dollars to buy weapons from the Soviet Union to Egypt during its war to regain the land that was taken by the enemy.

Al Sadat always saw Sheik Zayed as a loyal ally and a direct link between Arab leaders, especially after the tension in Egyptian relations with Arab leaders after Egypt signed the Camp David Agreement with Israel. Egypt’s relations with some Arab countries were strained after the Baghdad summit. “The Arab nation cannot exist without Egypt, and Egypt cannot in any way give up the Arab nation.”

Under former President Hosni Mubarak, the two countries have  trade and investment relations, with 18 agreements governing economic and trade relations between them linked. The volume of trade between them has reached 1.4 billion dollars, according to the Zayed National Museum. In 2010, Emirati investments in Egypt reached 10 billion dollars in the fields of agriculture, communications, information technology, real estate and banking.

The UAE’s support for Egypt has not been cut over the course of time. It was the last one after June 30th. The UAE was at the top of the list of Arab countries that supported the Egyptian revolution and initiated financial and in-kind assistance worth $3 billion, as part of a $12 billion Gulf aid package to Egypt.

It also continued its support to the Egyptian economy after the signing of an aid agreement in October 2013 at a value of 4.900 billion dollars, which included a grant of 1 billion dollars and the provision of 1 billion dollars in fuel to Egypt. It also participated in the implementation of a number of development projects in key economic sectors in Egypt, including the construction of 25 silos for storing wheat and grains, the construction of more than 50000 housing units in 18 governorates, To complete a set of projects in the fields of sanitation and infrastructure.

Sheik Zayed always said that what the UAE is doing to Egypt is a point of water in the sea of what Egypt has done to the Arabs.

Today, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Hamid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the son of Sheik Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was honored at the World Youth Forum.