Sheikh Khalifa: A leader who sought to redefine Abu Dhabi’s future

Sheikh Khalifa: A leader who sought to redefine Abu Dhabi’s future

Ever since he assumed office as the 16th Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 2004, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan led the transition of the emirate to become an economic powerhouse and leading global hub for innovations in renewable energy, clean technology and the environment. Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates which comprise the UAE. Sheikh Khalifa redefined the emirate’s economic and social strategy to include the continuing development of its huge oil industry, diversification of the economy into new areas, and developing the potential of citizens by providing them the best education and more opportunities. Sheikh Khalifa assumed public duties as soon as he was old enough, and eventually spent more than five decades in the service of the homeland and citizens. He was intimately involved in the creation of the UAE, supporting his father Sheikh Zayed as he guided negotiations between the nine emirates (the future seven which joined the UAE and Qatar and Bahrain) which had all signed an agreement to create a federation in 1968. Even after some years of negotiations, there were still important outstanding issues, so on October 24, 1970, the 22-year-old Sheikh Khalifa called a meeting of the deputy rulers