SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN OF ABU DHABI HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS UAE'S NEW PRESIDENT

  • 14/05/2022

Abu Dhabi: The autocratic nation's rulers unanimously picked Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as president on Saturday, signifying both unity and stability in this crucial energy-rich country that hosts Western armies.


Sheikh Mohammed's ascent had been predicted following the death on Friday of his half-brother and UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the age of 73. This is only the third time that this US-allied nation of seven sheikhdoms has chosen a president since gaining independence in 1971. 

Under Sheikh Mohammed, the UAE's de facto leader following Sheikh Khalifa's stroke in 2014, the UAE attempted to extend authority militarily across the region by joining a Saudi-led war in Yemen.

However, since the coronavirus pandemic's lockdowns, Sheikh Mohammed and the UAE as a whole have attempted to rebalance their strategy by mainly withdrawing from the battle and attempting diplomatic detente with enemies. The UAE also recognised Israel diplomatically, which shares Sheikh Mohammed's long-held distrust of Iran. However, connections to the United States have become strained in recent years. 

The UAE as a whole is observing a three-day mourning period, which will see businesses shut across the country and performances halted in Sheikh Khalifa's honor. Electronic billboards all showed the late sheikh's image in Dubai on Friday night as flags flew at half-staff. A wider mourning period of 40 days will go on beyond that.

Sheikh Mohammed had been serving as the UAE's de facto president since a 2014 stroke saw Sheikh Khalifa disappear from public view.

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