UAE president passes away
The United Arab Emirates will observe a 40-day state mourning following its president’s passing.
UAE President and Emir of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was 73 when he died on Friday, May 13.
According to the Emirates News Agency, flags in the country will be flown at half-mast starting today, and “work will be suspended at all ministries, departments, and federal, local and private entities for three days,” beginning Saturday, 14th May. Work will resume in the UAE on Tuesday.
Sheikh Khalifa is the son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founder and first president. Khalifa, who assumed office after his father passed away in 2004, led the country to its fierce economic growth. The world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was named after him after he bailed out Dubai from its debt during its financial crisis in 2009.
The UAE is becoming an invaluable partner to the Caribbean.
In November 2018, the first UAE-Caribbean Cooperation Forum was held in Dubai, “with the participation of more than 400 government and business leaders, key decision-makers and investors from the UAE and the Caribbean region,” according to the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
World leaders send their condolences
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Nayef Al Harjaf said in a message that Sheikh Khalifa died after “a life full of giving, and giving in the service of his people, his homeland and the Arab and Islamic nation.”
UAE’s neighboring countries will also be observing days of mourning for the late president of the country that celebrated its 50th founding anniversary in December 2021.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit offered his condolences to the UAE’s “state, its leadership, government and people, in light of this great loss.” The Arab League will be lowered for three days.
In the West, leaders from the United States and the United Kingdom also expressed their condolences to the royal family and the people of the UAE.
US President Joe Biden said that he and the first lady, Jill Biden, were deeply saddened by the news.
“Sheikh Khalifa was a true partner and friend of the United States throughout his decades-long tenure as President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and in his earlier role as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi,” Biden said.
In a tweet, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sheikh Khalifa was a “wise and respected leader who will be missed enormously” and who “made a personal contribution to regional stability and conservation that will long be remembered.”