Depicts a portrait of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan facing right, wearing a traditional cloak and headpiece, denomination below portrait enclosed by inscriptions in Arabic "His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan" above and "President of the United Arab Emirates" below.

The traditional men's headwear in some Middle Eastern areas consists of three components: a knitted skull-cap known as the "keffiyeh," (also referred to as a ghutrah, shemagh, or ḥaṭṭah) a large cotton headscarf, typically plain white or with a red-and-white checkered pattern, called the "ghutra," and a black cord named the "agal," which secures the ghutra in place.

Depicts the logo of the union (a head of the Arabian oryx right conjugated with a veiled woman left below the oryx surrounded by the flag of UAE) surrounded by Arabic and English inscriptions of the union name above, dates of establishment and issue below.

Oryx is a genus comprising four large antelope species known for their pale pelage with dark markings on the face and legs, and nearly straight long horns. The scimitar oryx, unique among them, lacks leg markings, has faint head markings, a ochre neck, and distinctly curved horns. The Arabian oryx was rescued from extinction through captive breeding and reintroduction efforts. Similarly, the scimitar oryx, declared extinct in the wild, also depended on captive breeding for its survival.