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Chapter Eight

                  aid began with single donations channelled through the Political
                  Agency in Dubai, the Agent supervising the execution of such
                  projects. Gradually the Trucial States Council which was set up
                  under the chairmanship of the Political Agent in 1952 earmarked
                  development projects and suggested priorities. Some of the British
                  political officers serving on the Trucial coast were eager to encourage
                  the Rulers and the people in positions of responsibility to become
                  more involved themselves in planning a long-term development
                  strategy. To this end a committee of local delegates was formed in
                  1964. Its task was to formulate in detail suggestions for the most
                  urgent projects and advise the members of the Trucial States Council
                  in this respect.117
                    During 1965 several steps were taken to separate planning and
                  execution of development from the Agency in Dubai. On 1 March the
                  21sl meeting of the Trucial Slates Council was held and the Rulers
                  approved the following resolution: “The Council welcomes un­
                  conditional aid from any source for the development of the Trucial
                  States and is grateful for the interest shown by the Arab League and
                  others in contributing to this development. In order to avoid
                  duplication of effort and in order that the Governments of the Trucial
                  States may jointly plan the development of the area for the common
                  good, the Council resolves:
                  (a)  to open an account in the name of the Trucial States Develop­
                      ment Fund to which all sums contributed, whether from outside
                      or inside the area, in addition to those already received, should
                      be credited;
                  (b)  to appoint additional staff as required to its central Development
                     Office, so that the Office, under the Council’s control, may be
                     capable of handling the Fund and carrying out development
                     programmes approved.’’118
                  This meant that not only was future development to be co-ordinated
                  by an administrative body set up for this purpose and to be super­
                  vised by a number of specialists hired specifically for this work, but it
                  also meant that all prospective donors including the British Govern­
                  ment could turn to a single organisation through which to channel
                  their assistance to these relatively poor and backward States. As
                 expected, aid from the richer neighbouring countries flowed in  more
                 readily when the Development Office was established. Abu Dhabi,
                 the only member to be exporting oil, contributed £100,000; Qatar and
                 Bahrain gave £250,000 and £40,000 respectively to help set up the

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