UMM AL QAIWAIN, Jan. 2nd, 2008: The late Sheikh Rashid was the tenth in the line of the Rulers of the Emirate of Umm al-Qaiwain, which was established as a separate Emirate in 1775 by Sheikh Majid al-Mualla.
He was born in around 1932 to his father, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al-Mualla, having become Ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain in 1929, and was educated locally. During the 1960s, he was appointed Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, and took part in many of the meetings between the Rulers and Deputy Rulers leading up to the formation of the UAE federation in 1971. He also represented the Emirate in negotiations related to Umm al-Qaiwains interests in the offshore Mubarak oilfield. As Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, he also supervised the work of the Umm al-Qaiwain Municipality and the local Chamber of Commerce. He continued during the 1970s to attend many meetings of the UAE Supreme Council, deputizing for his father, then in ill-health, and succeeded as Ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain upon his fathers death on 21st February 1981. Deputizing for his father as Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, Sheikh Saud signed the temporary constitution of the United Arab Emirates on December 2nd, 1971. He is succeeded as Ruler by his son, HH Sheikh Saud bin Rashid, formerly Crown Prince of Umm Al Qaiwain and member of the UAE Supreme Council. Other sons include Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla, Deputy Ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain, a post to which he was appointed in 2004, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mualla, Chairman of the Umm al-Qaiwain Finance and Administrative Department, and Sheikh Nasser bin Rashid Al Mualla, Managing Director and CEO of the National Bank of Umm al-Qaiwain.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2009.
