President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirateshas passed away at the age of 73, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced on Friday.
Sheikh Khalifa was president of the UAE since 2004, but his role had been largely ceremonial since he suffered a stroke in 2014.
“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,” the statement read, according to the Khaleej Times.
The government has declared a 40-day mourning period for the President, who led the UAE following the passing of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in 2004.
US President Joe Biden paid tribute to Sheikh Khalifa, saying he “was a true partner and friend of the United States”.
“We will honour his memory by continuing to strengthen the longstanding ties between the governments and people of the United States and the United Arab Emirates,” President Biden said.
Under the UAE’s constitution, the vice-president Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, will act as interim president.
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