Al Zaabi

Al Zaabi (Arabic: الزعابي), (plural: Za'ab) is the surname carried by members of the Al Zaab tribe in the United Arab Emirates who originally mostly lived in Al Jazirah Al Hamra in what is today the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah also lived in Kalba city which belongs to emirate of Sharjah. Some of the tribe migrated to Abu Dhabi after a clash between the tribe and Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad of Ras Al-Khaimah. Abu Dhabi provided shelter to the major part of the tribe, and its ruler Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan provided them with land, which became the Al Za'ab neighbourhood. In the very tribal political system of the United Arab Emirates, the Za'ab became a powerful force in the federal ministry of foreign affairs, and many members of the tribe were appointed as overseas ambassadors.

Important members of the tribe

• H.E Nasser Bin Abdulla Bin Hamdan Al Zaabi, Former UAE Ambassador, in Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Head of the committee of the Organisation of the Islamic Understanding.
• H.E Dr.Obaid bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Zaabi, Former UAE Ambassador to Kuwait, prior to that to Germany and prior to that to Yemen.
• Ahmed bin Juma Al Zaabi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, and a close advisor to the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre.
• Ali Ahmed bin Shukr Al Zaabi (deceased 2013), UAE Ambassador to Kuwait.
• Hussein bin Rahma Al Zaabi, last “sharif” mayor of Jazirat Al Hamra before the 1968 emigration, who then became sharif of Al Za’ab district in Abu Dhabi.
• Obaid bin Salem Saeed Nasser Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador/Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva (appointed July 2007).
• Rahma bin Hussein bin Rahma Al Zaabi, eldest son of the sharif Hussein bin Rahma Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Kuwait, prior to that to Lebanon and Cyprus, and still prior to that to Jordan.
• Jamal bin Hussein bin Rahma Al Zaabi, another son of the sharif Hussein bin Rahma Al Zaabi, UAE consul in Munich, prior to that deputy ambassador to the UN
• Saif Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Iran (appointed 2011) and Non-resident Ambassador to Armenia (appointed 2013).
• Ebrahim Abdulrahman Al Zaabi, Former UAE Ambassador to Iran
• Salem Ali Al Zaabi, Chairman of United Arab Shipping Company.
• Salem Issa Qattam Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Tunisia
• Saeed Rashed Obaid Al Zaabi,UAE Ambassador to Argentina
• Mohammed Issa Qattam Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Colombia
• Ahmed Ali Nasser Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Algeria, Former UAE Ambassador to Egypt and Jordan.
• Ahood Abdulla Al Zaabi, UAE Diplomat Counsler at the UAE embassy in the US, Former Advisor on Humanitarian Issues, Health and Culture at the Office of the President of the 69th session of the General Assembly at the UN.

References

• Dresch, Paul (2006), "Foreign matter: the place of strangers in Gulf society", in : Globalization in the Gulf, ed. J.W. Fox, N. Mourtada-Sabbah & M. Al Mutawa (London: Routledge), p. 207.