The Foreign Affairs News The Leading News Portal
International
May 14, 2022

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa passes away; PM Deuba, world leaders condole

FA News Desk
Late President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Image credit: Gulf News
Late President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Image credit: Gulf News

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has condolence on the sad demise of the President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Expressing grief over his demise, Prime Minister Deuba has mentioned that Nepal has lost a good friend.

“He was a great politician, a visionary leader and a great friend of Nepal.”

“Our heartfelt condolences to the people and government of the UAE,” Deuba tweeted.

Meanwhile, leaders across the UAE, Middle East and world offered their condolences and mourned the loss of a visionary leader.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and younger brother to the Late President, took to Twitter to mourn the loss.

Likewise, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai also offered his condolences saying, “It is not easy to mourn a leader the size of a nation and a man who spent his life in the elevation of his people and the glory of his country.”

At the age of 73, President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, passed away on Friday.

Sheikh had been suffering from chronic illness for a long time after suffering a stroke and undergoing emergency surgery in 2014.

His half-brother Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, became the de-facto ruler

The Ministry has also declared an official mourning period for the late His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the flag flown at half-mast for 40 days starting from today.

Work in ministries, departments, federal and local institutions and the private sector will be suspended for 3 days starting from Saturday and work will resume on Tuesday.

Born in 1948 in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa is the eldest son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikha Hissa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Sheikh Khalifa was the second President of the UAE and the 16th Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2004, succeeding his late father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who passed away on November 2 2004.

As per the report, Sheikh Khalifa belongs to the tribe of Bani Yas, which is considered to be the mother tribe for most of the Arab tribes that settled in what is known today as the UAE. This tribe led an alliance of the Arab tribes, which is historically known as ‘Bani Yas Alliance’.

Sheikh Khalifa’s modernization policies helped turn his country into a regional powerhouse.

And the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, was named after him.

Sheikh Khalifa’s career of leadership began in 1966 at the age of 18 and becoming Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in 1969, a position he held till 2004.

On May 1 1971, Sheikh Khalifa took up the position of ‘President of the first local Cabinet for the emirate of Abu Dhabi’

In February of 1974, and following the annulment of the local Cabinet, Sheikh Khalifa became the first President of the Executive Council that replaced the Cabinet of the emirate.

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs has declared official mourning for His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for 40 days. Ministries, departments, federal and local institutions and private sector institutions will remain closed for three days from Saturday. Official working hours will resume next Tuesday.

As chairman, Sheikh Khalifa supervised the modernisation and development of projects throughout Abu Dhabi, transforming the emirate and building the base from which it has been able to become the modern city it is today.