The Ruler who led RAK through the decades

At the time of his birth in 1920, Ras Al Khaimah was one of several emirates in the southern Arabian Gulf in treaty relations with Britain and known as the Trucial States. Its economy was based primarily on fishing, pearling and agriculture. In the absence of modern schools, Shaikh Saqr was educated in a traditional manner by local teachers, who provided instruction on Islam, Mathematics and Arabic.

Shaikh Saqr became the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah on July 17, 1948, at the young age of 28 and ruled the emirate for the past 62 years, making him the longest serving ruler in the region. Upon the establishment of the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah joined the federation and Shaikh Saqr became a member of the UAE Supreme Council.

The immediate priority of Shaikh Saqr on assuming office was to establish unity among the different tribes scattered over its regions. Shaikh Saqr brought the tribes together under an efficient system of governance.

The visionary built a sound administrative machinery in RAK by forming different government departments and regulatory institutions with financial and administrative control for overseeing the implementation of various development projects.

An Agriculture Trials Station and farm was established in Digdagga in 1955 and the RAK Municipality was established in 1959. Shaikh Saqr also created the RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1967 to enhance the economy of the emirate. He endeared himself to the belief that good education was the fundamental factor that would kick-start the developmental process.

Guided by this strong conviction, Shaikh Saqr made education an integral policy doctrine of his administration and opened several schools and personally encouraged students to undertake higher education in foreign countries. He also set up three main hospitals in the emirate, including Saqr Hospital, the emirate’s biggest public hospital, which was opened in 1981.

The Ruler presided over the transformation of the emirate from an under-developed region to a rapidly growing hub of trade and industry by laying the foundation for the emirate’s industrial sector and enhancing the infrastructural facilities. A paved road between Sharjah and RAK was opened in 1969 and Shaikh Saqr established the RAK International Airport in 1976 to boost the emirate’s logistics infrastructure. The opening of the Saqr Port a year later made it the first port of call within the Arabian Gulf.

His farsighted vision helped RAK in diversifying its income resources which helped the emirate achieve progress despite the lack of considerable oil revenues. His efforts for self reliance and industrial progress saw the setting up of several major industrial establishments in the emirate, including a slew of cement factories which effectively utilised the vast limestone deposits and the Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, which is now the biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer in the region.

Shaikh Saqr appointed his son His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi as the Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah on June 14, 2003. He was widely admired for his visionary leadership that has guided Ras Al Khaimah from Trucial States’ backwater to a modern, vibrant hub of industries in the United Arab Emirates.

Outside the UAE, the late leader enjoyed strong relations with leaders of the region and visited many Arab and foreign countries. At an internal level, he was a wise ruler with a broad vision, constantly looking to the future. When oil was discovered in the emirate, he commented: “We hope, in three years, to achieve what other countries have achieved in 10 years, and we will not rely in our development mainly on oil.”

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

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