After a charitable march, after which he was called the “leader of humanity”, the UAE announced on Friday the death of its president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the age of 74.
Earlier on Friday, the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs mourned the death of Khalifa bin Zayed, to “the people of the UAE, the Arab and Islamic nations and the world at large,” according to the official news agency (WAM).
The ministry also announced the official mourning and flags at half-mast for a period of 40 days, in addition to disrupting work in ministries, departments, federal and local institutions, and the private sector for 3 days, starting today, Friday.
The second president of the UAE
The late is the second president of the UAE, as he assumed this position and ruled the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2004, succeeding his father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, the founder of the Emirates.
Khalifa bin Zayed was born in 1948 in the UAE city of Al Ain (the second largest city), and he is the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan.
In his youth, Khalifa remained a companion to his father, Zayed bin Sultan, during his work on the founding of the United Arab Emirates, which was achieved in 1971.
Positions
Sheikh Khalifa was appointed head of the courts in the city of Abu Dhabi, whose father was the ruler of its emirate in 1966, where he held many positions until he became the chief executive officer of the government and the supervisor of the implementation of all major projects.
In 1969, the late was appointed Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and he also assumed the duties of the Defense Department, which later became the first nucleus of the formation of the UAE Armed Forces.
Two years later, he was appointed as the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the local minister of defense and finance in the emirate. He also took the position of deputy prime minister in 1972, and also supervised the “Executive Council in Achieving Comprehensive Development Programs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi”.
In November 2019, the UAE Federal Supreme Council renewed its confidence in Khalifa bin Zayed, as Chairman of the Federal Supreme Council, for a fourth 5-year term.
