BREAKING: UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa Dies At 73
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, died on Friday at the age of 73, according to state media, after a long battle with sickness.
“The Ministry of Presidential Affairs condoles the people of the UAE and the Islamic world… on the passing of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Friday, May 13,” the official WAM news agency said.
From Friday, the ministry declared a 40-day period of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and work suspended in the public and private sectors for the first three days.
In November 2004, Sheikh Khalifa became the UAE’s second president, following his father as the 16th ruler of Abu Dhabi, the federation’s wealthiest emirate.
He hasn’t been seen in public since 2014, when he underwent surgery after suffering a stroke, but he has continued to make decisions.
In recent years, his brother, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, has been regarded as the UAE’s de facto ruler.
