Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced the passing away of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday.

Sheikh Khalifa was the second president of the UAE. Sheikh Khalifa was 73.

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.

The Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced a 40-day period of mourning. 

The authorities suspended all works in ministries, departments, federal and local institutions, and the private sector for 3 days, with flags at half-mast from Friday.

Sheikh Khalifa's timeline:

•    Became the representative of the ruler of Abu Dhabi in the Eastern Province and the president of its legal system in August 1966
•    Became Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on 1 February 1969
•    Became the Prime Minister of Abu Dhabi and Minister of Defence and Finance on 1 July 1971
•    Became Deputy Prime Minister in the second UAE Federal Cabinet on 20 January 1974
•    Became Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in 1976
•    Became President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi 3 November 2004


Sheikh Khalifa was born in Al Muwaiji Fort in Al Ain in 1948.

His full name is Khalifa Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Bin Shakhbout Bin Theyab Bin Issa Bin Nahyan Bin Falah Bin Yas. He is the eldest son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His mother is Sheikha Hessa Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Al Muwaiji village was a centre of influence for the Al bu Falah subsection of the Bani Yas tribal confederation and the Al Nahyan ruling family.

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Sheikh Khalifa belongs to the tribe of Bani Yas. Bani Yas is considered the mother tribe for most of the Arab tribes that settled in what is known today as the United Arab Emirates, which is historically known as 'Bani Yas Alliance'.

Sheikh Khalifa lived with his family Al Muwaiji Fort in Al Ain city. He received his school education in Al Ain at the city's first school built by his father.

Sheikh Khalifa spent most of his childhood in the oases of Al Ain and Al Buraimi with the company of his father who governed the Al Ain region at that time.

Sheikh Zayed was keen to take his eldest son on most of his daily activities and visits in the areas of Al Ain and Al Buraimi. The oases of Al Ain and Al Buraimi were places of strategic and vital economic significance for Abu Dhabi as the main agricultural producer and as the major strategic centre for the security of the region.

Accompanying his father in his difficult task to improve the lives of the tribes of the area and establish state authority, Sheikh Khalifa learned the essential values of responsibility, trust, justice and rights.

He was also fortunate to have the benefit of the education of public majlis, which was regarded as the finest school for teaching the skills of political leadership at that time. The public majlis of his father brought him close to the tribes, giving him the opportunity to learn their culture and understand their aspirations and acquire management and communication skills.