Dubai, Could 15 (AP): Rulers within the United Arab Emirates on Saturday unanimously appointed Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan because the autocratic nation’s president, signalling each unity and stability on this key energy-rich nation that hosts Western militaries.
The ascension of Sheikh Mohammed, 61, was anticipated after the demise Friday of his half-brother and the UAE’s president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on the age of 73. The transition of energy marks solely the third time this US-allied nation of seven sheikhdoms has chosen a president since changing into an impartial nation in 1971.
Below Sheikh Mohammed, who has been the nation’s de facto chief since Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke in 2014, the UAE had tried to mission energy militarily throughout the broader area because it joined a Saudi-led warfare in Yemen.
However for the reason that lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic, Sheikh Mohammed and the broader UAE has tried to recalibrate its method by largely pulling out of the warfare and searching for diplomatic detentes with rivals. The UAE additionally diplomatically recognised Israel, which shares Sheikh Mohammed’s longstanding suspicion of Iran. Nevertheless, ties to the US have strained in recent times — one thing Washington hopes to handle with Vice President Kamala Harris main a delegation Monday to Abu Dhabi.
The state-run WAM information company described the vote at Al-Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi as unanimous among the many leaders of the nation’s hereditarily dominated sheikhdoms, which incorporates the skyscraper-studded metropolis of Dubai.
“His assumption of the duty of the presidency represents a brand new historic period and a brand new start,” stated Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “We look ahead to the acceleration of improvement aimed toward consolidating the worldwide sovereignty and pioneering of the Emirates.” There had been just one demise of a president earlier than Friday within the nation’s historical past, which noticed Sheikh Khalifa take over for each his and Sheikh Mohammed’s father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, after his demise in 2004. Sheikh Zayed, whose title graces a serious freeway linking the Emirates and whose face seems all over the place within the nation, extensively stays seen because the nation’s founding father.
The UAE as an entire is observing a three-day mourning interval, which is able to see companies shut throughout the nation and performances halted in Sheikh Khalifa’s honour. Digital billboards all confirmed the late sheikh’s picture in Dubai on Friday night time as flags flew at half-staff. A wider mourning interval of 40 days will go on past that.
Oman’s sultan was among the many first leaders to go to Sheikh Mohammed on Saturday night time. Others are anticipated within the coming days, together with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday. Harris additionally will meet with Sheikh Mohammed.
Sheikh Mohammed had been serving because the UAE’s de facto president since a 2014 stroke noticed Sheikh Khalifa disappear from public view.
Recognized by the acronym MbZ, Sheikh Mohammed cultivated ties with the West that proved useful for Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE that instructions tens of billions of {dollars} in wealth funds from its oil and gasoline deposits. A US diplomatic cable from 2004 launched by WikiLeaks referred to him as “charismatic, savvy and really snug within the West”. He hosted then-President George W Bush in 2008 at his desert property, a go to full with Bedouin tents and falcons.
The nation hosts some 3,500 US troops, many at Abu Dhabi’s Al-Dhafra Air Base, from the place drones and fighter jets flew missions combatting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Dubai is also the US Navy’s busiest port of name overseas. Each France and South Korea additionally maintained a navy presence right here.
The Pentagon stated US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Sheikh Mohammed on Saturday and stated “he seems to be ahead to strengthening the essential defence partnership that expanded” below the late president and “to deepening shut ties” between the nations.
Sheikh Mohammed skilled on the British navy academy at Sandhurst and is a helicopter pilot. His military-first method noticed the UAE be part of Saudi Arabia of their bloody, years-long warfare in Yemen that also rages to at the present time. Sheikh Mohammed has had a detailed relationship with neighbouring Saudi Arabia’s personal upstart crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Nevertheless, the Emirates has largely withdrawn its troops from Yemen.
Sheikh Mohammed additionally lengthy has been suspicious of each the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran, probably organising a marketing campaign concentrating on Islamists within the UAE after the 2011 Arab Spring and urging the West to take a more durable line towards Tehran over considerations about its nuclear programme and its help of paramilitary teams all through the area. The UAE’s recognition of Israel in 2020, whereas opening new commerce and tourism, additionally serves as a hedge in coping with Iran.
For the reason that coronavirus pandemic, nonetheless, the UAE below Sheikh Mohammed has sought to rehabilitate ties to Iran and Turkey, which has backed Islamists within the area. A quartet of Arab nations, together with the UAE, additionally dropped their boycott of Qatar over a diplomatic dispute relating to its help of Islamists, although relations stay icy between Abu Dhabi and Doha.
“The graceful transition of energy within the UAE displays the sobriety of institutional work and the superior degree of governance mechanisms and their stability,” stated Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat. (AP) RC
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