The board of directors of the Emirates Writers Union, at its most recent meeting held at the union's headquarters at the Sharjah Book Authority, approved the membership committee's recommendations to grant union membership to a number of Emirati writers and authors, as well as writers residing in the United Arab Emirates. The approvals were based on reports and assessments submitted by the committee regarding membership applications, which it ratified at its meeting on 7 July 2026.
Shaikha Al Mutairi, Secretary-General and chair of the membership committee of the Emirates Writers Union, explained that the committee decided to accept applications that met all required conditions. The approvals for full active membership included: short story writer Maha Bouhaliqah, novelist and short story writer Najeeba Mohammed Al Rifai, poet Zainab Amer Omar Hamad Al Hadrami, short story writer and novelist Sara Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, novelist Khalid Ahmed Al Nuaimi, and short story writer Mohammed Yousuf Zainal Hassan Abdullah. The board also approved membership for Syrian poet Ahlam Haitham Banawi.
Additional approvals covered Syrian short story writer and novelist Rana Kamal Al Asali, Egyptian poet and critic Mohammed Mohammed Mohammed Abduh Issa, Egyptian writer Mahmoud Bakri Al Amin, and Syrian poet Ahmad Abdel Fattah Al Qassab.
Shaikha Al Jabri, Vice President of the board of directors of the Emirates Writers Union, affirmed that the union attaches great importance to broadening its membership base and attracting literary and creative talents — both citizens and residents of the United Arab Emirates — who possess distinguished literary experience that contributes to enriching the national cultural scene.