President of the United Arab Emirates dies at 73

The government decreed “official mourning and the flags at half-mast” for a period of 40 days, with work suspended in the public and private sectors for the first three days,” the agency added.

the president of United Arab Emiratescheck Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayandied this Friday, 13, at the age of 73, after several years with health problems, announced the country’s official news agency.

“The Ministry of Presidential Affairs offers its condolences to the people of the United Arab Emirates and Muslim Arab nations on the death of the head of state, who passed away on Friday, May 13,” reads a statement released by state agency WAM.

The government decreed “official mourning and the flags at half-mast” for a period of 40 days, with work suspended in the public and private sectors for the first three days,” the agency added.

The head of state has rarely appeared in public since he suffered a stroke in January 2014. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan succeeded in November 2004 his father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan, president and founding father of the United Arab Emirates, rich Gulf State that brings together seven emirates, including Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi.

Since his 2014 stroke, his half-brother Mohamed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, known as “MBZ”, has run the country’s affairs and is considered the de facto ruler of the oil monarchy with growing influence.

Source: AFP