From childhood in Al Ain to revered leader: Sheikh Khalifa’s path to UAE presidency

From childhood in Al Ain to revered leader: Sheikh Khalifa’s path to UAE presidency

It was on November 3, 2004, that Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in his 57th year, took over as the United Arab Emirate’s second-ever president and leader of the nation.

He succeeded his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Al Nahyan, as the 16th ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the country’s seven cities and until 1971 an independent emirate, a day after the founding father’s passing.

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Just a few weeks later, in a poignant speech on his first National Day as President, Sheikh Khalifa spoke of the “deep sense of sadness and bereavement that has filled our hearts over the passing of our father, leader and Founding Father of our nation.”

Sheikh Zayed, he said, had “cherished a dream and devoted his life to achieving that dream, using the oil wealth to build a modern state in which both UAE nationals and resident expatriates enjoy a decent living. His deep sense of commitment to the welfare of his people enabled him to overcome the hurdles that stood in his way, ultimately succeeding in bringing the country to where it is today.”

Sheikh Khalifa turned