UAE Leader Designates his Son as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

Dubai News

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed his eldest son Sheikh Khaled as the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, with the approval of the UAE Federal Supreme Council, the country’s highest constitutional authority.

This move places His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the next in line to become the leader of the federation.

Following HH Sheikh Mohammed’s ascension to the presidency last year, there were speculations about whether he would choose one of his brothers as his heir. The potential candidates were Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, the powerful national security chief, Sheikh Mansour, the owner of Manchester City football club, or Sheikh Abdullah, the foreign minister. However, Sheikh Khaled, who was appointed as the chairman of the country’s intelligence agency in 2016, was chosen as the crown prince.

Sheikh Khaled has long been a prominent figure in the government and business communities of Abu Dhabi, and has spearheaded several initiatives aimed at promoting youth, clean energy, and sports.

Under His Highness Sheikh Khaled’s leadership, the UAE government has launched a new government-led career-building programme, which has helped over 4,000 Emiratis to gain full-time jobs in 2021. The programme includes upskilling and personalised training in high-demand areas of science, digital technology, and data analytics, as well as career coaching and access to apprenticeships, internships, and specialist training opportunities.

As the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), His Highness Sheikh Khaled has also launched several initiatives to promote clean energy. In 2021, he launched a new global renewable energy and green hydrogen venture between Adnoc and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA), which aims to position Abu Dhabi and the UAE at the forefront of the energy transition.

In addition to his work in promoting youth and clean energy, HH Sheikh Khaled has also been instrumental in promoting sports in Abu Dhabi. He is a keen follower of martial arts and practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu, and has helped turn Abu Dhabi into the global capital of the sport. He has also promoted other sports in Abu Dhabi, including basketball and cycling.

HH Sheikh Khaled’s leadership has been also crucial in promoting Abu Dhabi’s competitiveness and advancing its global leadership role in various sectors. Under his leadership, the Ghadan 21 program was launched in 2019, with the aim of investing in business, innovation, and people. The program has launched more than 50 initiatives in its first year, and a raft of new plans are set to be rolled out in 2022 and 2023.

HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s appointment as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is a testament to his leadership and vision for the future of the UAE. His initiatives and efforts in promoting youth, clean energy, and sports have helped position Abu Dhabi as a global leader in these sectors, and his continued leadership is expected to bring further progress and development to the Emirate.

His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s first President and the driving force behind its establishment, ruled from 1971 until his death in 2004. He appointed his eldest son Sheikh Khalifa as his successor and Sheikh Mohammed as the deputy crown prince.

HH Sheikh Mohamed has been the nation’s de facto leader since Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke in 2014, and Sheikh Khalifa passed away eight years later in May 2022. During HH Sheikh Mohamed’s rule, the UAE established strong ties with neighboring Saudi Arabia and initially joined forces with it in the war against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels before withdrawing from the conflict years later. The UAE has also aimed to project military power across the region while opposing the rise of Islamist groups.

In 2020, the UAE normalized relations with Israel in the first of the Abraham Accords, which was followed by Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.