Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who marshaled the oil wealth of the United Arab Emirates to develop the Persian Gulf nation into an financial powerhouse and shut associate of america throughout his 18 years as head of state, died on Friday, the state-run Emirates Information Company reported. He was 73.
The company gave no reason for loss of life, however Sheikh Khalifa had a stroke in 2014 and subsequently stepped again from lots of his public duties. The federal government introduced that authorities workplaces and personal companies would shut for 3 days starting Friday, and {that a} 40-day mourning interval could be noticed throughout the nation.
Sheikh Khalifa grew to become the ruler of the U.A.E., a federation of seven semiautonomous city-states alongside the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, after the loss of life of his father in 2004. His tenure was marked by swift financial growth, dented solely by a debt disaster within the glitzy metropolis of Dubai within the late 2000s that he helped finish by pouring in billions of {dollars} from the wealthier emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Dubai thanked him by naming the world’s tallest constructing after him, altering its title from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa.
His reign was additionally punctuated by turmoil across the Center East. Throughout the uprisings generally known as the Arab Spring, which unfold throughout the area in 2011, his authorities intervened behind the scenes to assist strongmen and undermine political Islamists. His navy labored carefully with america in Afghanistan, joined the coalition towards the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq and partnered with Saudi Arabia in its navy intervention towards the Houthi rebels in Yemen in 2015.
It was throughout his tenure that the Emirates and neighboring Bahrain established formal diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, the primary Arab states to normalize relations with the Jewish state in practically three a long time.
Within the Emirates, he was a towering, if distant, determine, who hardly ever appeared in public however whose picture was seemingly all over the place: on the partitions in authorities workplaces and behind the reception desks at inns. Along with serving because the emir of Abu Dhabi, he was the nation’s president and the top of its armed forces, funding fund and petroleum council, which oversees oil coverage.
After his stroke, he stepped again from the every day affairs of presidency, delegating energy to his youthful half brother, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nayhan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, who championed a extra assertive overseas coverage.
It was extensively anticipated that Sheikh Mohammed would succeed Sheikh Khalifa because the Emirates’ new ruler, however no details about the formal succession course of was instantly obtainable.
In a put up on Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed mentioned Emiratis have been “united in grief” on the lack of a “brother and mentor.”
“We have been blessed by your energy, knowledge and management,” he wrote.
In an announcement, President Biden referred to as Sheikh Khalifa “a real associate and pal of america” and mentioned his authorities would “honor his reminiscence by persevering with to strengthen the longstanding ties between the governments and other people of america and the United Arab Emirates.”
Like different oil-rich monarchies within the Persian Gulf, the Emirates has lengthy seemed to america for defense from exterior threats and as a spot to purchase costly navy tools.
However tensions between the 2 nations have risen this yr over the Emirates’ resistance to hitch Western efforts to isolate President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia due to his invasion of Ukraine. Additionally clouding relations is a way within the Emirates that america isn’t doing sufficient to make sure the safety of its Gulf companions, particularly from Iran and its armed proxies.
Sheikh Khalifa was born in 1948 within the oasis of Al Ain within the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the primary son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who would turn out to be the Emirates’ first post-independence ruler, and Hassa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
On the time, Abu Dhabi was one in all a group of Arab sheikhdoms in southeastern Arabia that had signed protecting treaties with the British.
Sheikh Khalifa studied on the British Royal Army Academy at Sandhurst, and in 1966, the British put in his father because the ruler of Abu Dhabi in a cold coup towards his elder brother.
Sheikh Khalifa returned to Abu Dhabi to work below his father, and his position grew after the Emirates grew to become unbiased in 1971 and his father grew to become the top of state. Sheikh Khalifa headed the petroleum council, which oversaw oil coverage, a key put up in a desert nation with few sources apart from hydrocarbons.
He additionally oversaw the armed forces and the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, which grew to an estimated $700 billion, making it one of many world’s largest.
His father died in 2004 and Sheikh Khalifa succeeded him because the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the president of the Emirates the following day, positions he held till his loss of life.
His private wealth was mentioned to have been formidable. In 2011, Forbes reported that he was value $15 billion, making him one of many world’s richest monarchs. In 2018, the journal named him No. 43 on its checklist of the world’s strongest individuals.
Sheikh Khalifa is survived by his spouse, Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, their eight youngsters, and an undisclosed variety of grandchildren.
