An outpouring of grief has immediately poured in across the nation as His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, passed away on Friday, May 13. A 40-day period of mourning was also announced.
“Ministry of Presidential Affairs declares official mourning and flags flying at half-mast for 40 days starting today and disrupting work at the ministries, federal departments, local institutions and the private sector for three days,” said a statement.
In addition, work is suspended for both the public and private sector for three days, starting Saturday May 14 and running until Monday, May 16, with normal work hours resuming on May 17, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced.
The passing was announced by the the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
“The Ministry of Presidential Affairs condoles the people of the UAE, the Arab and Islamic nation and the world over the demise of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE,” said a statement from the UAE’s state news agency WAM.
The life of UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa
Sheikh Khalifa became president in November 2004 after his father, the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE who served as its first president since the country began in 1971.
Sheikh Khalifa was born in 1948 as the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed and served as the second president of the country and 16th Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Khalifa has presided over the restructuring of both the federal government and the government of Abu Dhabi, witnessing an accelerated development of the nation and worked to ensure a decent living for all those living in the country.
As soon as he was elected president, he launched a strategic plan to achieve sustainable development for the country, prioritizing the prosperity of the citizens and residents, a plan which has succeeded.
His hope, he said at the time, was to follow in the footsteps of his father.
“[Sheikh Zayed] will continue to be the beacon guiding us into the future, a prosperous future where security and stability will reign,” said Sheikh Khalifa in 2004.