Mohamed bin Zayed is new UAE President

Abu Dhabi, May 14, 2022

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was today unanimously elected as the new President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the country's Federal Supreme Council.

Sheikh Mohamed, 61, often referred to as MBZ, his initials, succeeds his brother Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, who died yesterday at the age of 73.

Sheikh Mohamed will also be the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates that make up the UAE federation, as well as the Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm al Quwain and Ajman are the other emirates in the UAE.

As the Crown Prince of the oil- and gas-rich Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed was the face of the UAE for the past eight years after Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke in January 14, dealing with foreign leaders, controlling policy and decision-making and navigating the country through the troubled times both in the region and the world.

"The Federal Supreme Council today unanimously elected His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as President of the United Arab Emirates," WAM, the official Emirates News Agency, said.

The Council met at Al Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Apart from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the meeting was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah; Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman; Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah; Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain; and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.

"Their Highnesses, the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates have reaffirmed their keenness to continue implementing the authentic values and principles laid down by the late deceased, Sheikh Khalifa, following on from the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. These have consolidated the UAE's status at both regional and global levels.

"The Federal Supreme Council expressed its full confidence that the people of the UAE will remain, as Sheikh Zayed and the founders believed, a faithful guardian of the Union and its gains at all levels," the report said.

Born on March 11, 1961, Sheikh Mohamed was educated at schools in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi in the UAE until the age of 18. In 1979, he joined the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he trained in armour, helicopter flying, tactical flying and paratroops. After graduating in April 1979, he returned home to the UAE to join the Officers' Training Course in Sharjah.

He has held a number of roles in the UAE military, from that of Officer in the Amiri Guard (the UAE's elite security force) and Pilot in the UAE Air Force, and later as Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sheikh Mohamed has helped develop the UAE Armed Forces in terms of strategic planning, training, organizational structure and promoting defense capabilities.

Among other things, Sheikh Mohamed is committed to enhancing educational standards in Abu Dhabi and raise them to the level of the best in the world.

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