United Arab Emirates Government Graph

Method and Status Definitions

Structure from the Constitution of the United Arab Emirates (1971, as amended to 2009; English text at constituteproject.org), cited by article on each node. Officeholders checked on October 6, 2026, each with sources.

This graph models the United Arab Emirates as institutions, positions and typed relationships (appoints, elects, approves, commands, chairs, oversees, owns, controls, sponsors, supplies). The UAE is a federation of seven hereditary monarchies. Under Article 46 the Federal Supreme Council of the seven Rulers is the highest authority, so it sits at the centre of the wheel. It elects the President and Vice President from among its members (Article 51), and substantive decisions need the votes of Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Article 49). The Federal National Council is consultative: half its members are chosen by electoral colleges named by the Rulers, half are appointed.

Each emirate keeps every power not given to the federation and owns its own natural resources (Articles 23, 116 and 122). Oil, most sovereign wealth and parts of the police, courts and security services therefore belong to the emirates, above all Abu Dhabi and Dubai, not to the federal government. The ruling families, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai sovereign funds and ADNOC appear as a separate sector because they hold power outside the federal cabinet.

Verified means two independent source families agree: an official government page, the Emirates News Agency (WAM, the state news agency), or a named news outlet. Single source means one family only. Acting, vacant and unconfirmed are shown as such rather than filled with a guess. Each source records the publisher, date and a short quote naming the person in the post.

Changes in 2026: in January Abu Dhabi placed the ADQ fund under L'IMAD, chaired by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; in September the Ruler of Dubai named the Crown Prince of Dubai chairman of the Investment Corporation of Dubai; a new Secretary-General of the UAE Council for Fatwa was appointed in September. Foreign forces in the UAE came under Iranian attack during the 2026 war.

Not yet covered: Federal National Council committees, emirate departments outside Abu Dhabi and Dubai, armed forces branch commanders and historical holders.

Middle East Forum, applied policy research organization, founded 1994. Corrections: meforum.org/contact