Constitution of the United Arab Emirates/Part 1

Layout 2

PART I
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES

Article (1)

The United Arab Emirates is an independent, sovereign, and federal state hereinafter referred to as (“the UAE”). The UAE consists of the following Emirates:

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah^[1], Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, and Fujairah.

Any other independent Arab state may, subject to the unanimous approval of the Federal Supreme Council, join the UAE. When admitting a new member to the UAE, the Federal Supreme Council determines the number of seats to be allocated to that member in the Federal National Council (FNC) in excess of the number provided in Article 68 of the Constitution^[2].

Article (2)

In assuming its responsibilities under the provisions of the Constitution, the UAE has sovereignty over all territory and territorial waters lying within the international boundaries of the member Emirates.

Article (3)

A member Emirate shall exercise sovereignty over its own territories and territorial waters in all matters which are not within the jurisdiction of the UAE under the Constitution.

Article (4)

The UAE may not cede its sovereignty or relinquish any part of its territories or waters.

Article (5)

The UAE shall have a flag, an emblem and a national anthem. The flag and the emblem shall be specified by an Act. An emirate shall have its own flag to use it within its territories.

Article (6)

The UAE is a part of the greater Arab nation to which the UAE is linked by the ties of religion, language, history and common destiny.

The people of the UAE are one people, and a part of the Arab nation.

Article (7)

Islam is the official religion of the UAE. The Islamic Shari’a is a main source of legislation in the UAE. The official language of the UAE is Arabic.

Article (8)

The citizens of the UAE shall have a single nationality specified by law and shall enjoy abroad the protection of the Federal Government in accordance with the generally-accepted international principles.

A citizen’s nationality may not be divested or withdrawn except as may be provided in law.

Article (9)

Abu Dhabi City shall be the capital city of the UAE^[3].

Article (10)

The objectives of the UAE are as follows:

- Maintain the UAE’s independence and sovereignty.

- Safeguard the UAE’s security and stability.

- Repel any aggression against the UAE’s existence or the existence of its member states.

- Protect the rights and freedoms of the people of the UAE.

- Establish close co-operation among the emirates for their common interest to achieve these objectives.

- Promote the prosperity and progress of the emirates in all fields.

- Provide a better life for all the citizens.

Each member Emirate shall respect the independence and sovereignty of the other Emirates in their internal affairs as provided in the Constitution.

Article (11)

1. The Emirates of the UAE shall form a united entity in terms of economy and customs. The federal laws shall regulate the appropriate gradual phases to achieve this unity.

2. The free movement of all capital and goods among the Emirates of the UAE is guaranteed and may not be restricted except by a federal act.

3. All taxes, duties, dues, and tolls imposed on the movement of goods from one member emirate to another emirate are hereby repealed.

Article (12)

The foreign policy of the UAE shall be directed towards supporting the Arab and Islamic causes and interests and towards establishing closer friendship and co-operation with all the nations and peoples on the basis of the principles of the charter of the United Nations Organization and international ideals.

---

1. The words “Ras Al-Khaimah” were added by decision of the Federal Supreme Council 2/1972 after Ras Al-Khaimah Emirate and the territories attached to it joined the UAE. The previous text reads as follows “Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, and Fujairah”.
2. A new paragraph was added to Article (1) by constitutional amendment 1/1972
3. Article (9) was amended by Constitutional Amendment 1/1996. The previous Article (9) reads as follows
   “1. The capital city of the UAE shall be established in an area granted by Abu Dhabi and Dubai emirates on the borders between them, which shall be called karama, or dignity.
   2. An amount sufficient to cover the costs of the technical studies and planning for establishing the capital city shall be allocated in the UAE’s budget for the first year. Works for establishing the capital city shall be started as early as possible so that they must be completed within a maximum of seven years starting from the date the Constitution takes effect.
   3. Until the capital city of the UAE is established, Abu Dhabi shall be the temporary seat of the UAE.”