Here’s how the UAE will choose a new President following the passing of Sheikh Khalifa – Arabian Business

Here’s how the UAE will choose a new President following the passing of Sheikh Khalifa – Arabian Business

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan the second President of the United Arab Emirates, who passed away Friday, is being remembered for the dramatic social and economic progress made in the country under his 18-year rule.

“There’s certainly been social and economic progress over the years, and the country is nearly unrecognisable from the one he took over in 2004. All you need is a skyline comparison of then and now to see why,” said Ryan Bohl, a Middle East analyst at US-based analysis firm Rane.

Sheikh Khalifa assumed the presidency in 2004, and since then the UAE, and the capital Abu Dhabi, has grown from a fledgling Gulf country to a regional power and global business hub. The economic expansion in the capital begun under Sheikh Khalifa has continued today, with foreign investment pouring in as the city looks to diversify its economy away from oil.