Tanzania: New UAE Leader Vows to Strengthen Ties With Tz

NEWLY-ELECTED President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has vowed to further strengthen and promote bilateral relations with Tanzania.

President Al Nahyan made the statement during a meeting with Tanzania's Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango, who travelled to UAE to represent President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the funeral of former President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who died last Friday.

The new UAE leader thanked President Samia and Tanzanians at large for demonstrating love during this period of mourning for his late brother and former ruler Sheikh Khalifa.

He said Vice-President Mpango's journey all the way from Tanzania to the UAE to join the people of his country in mourning their late President showed sincere love and support between the two nations.

He revealed that he had visited Tanzania many times as compared to other countries, and promised to continue visiting Tanzania every time he gets the chance.

Vice-President Dr Mpango conveyed President Samia's condolences following the death of Sheikh Khalifa. He also delivered a congratulatory message from President Samia to the newly elected UAE leader, Sheikh Al Nahyan, the UAE's longtime de facto ruler during Sheikh Khalifa's illness.

The late Sheikh Khalifa was the second president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, serving from 2004 until his death in May 2022. Sheikh Khalifa was the eldest son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the United Arab Emirates.

As crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa carried out some aspects of the presidency in a de facto capacity from the late 1990s when his father faced health problems.

He succeeded his father as the ruler of Abu Dhabi on November 2, 2004, and the Federal Supreme Council elected him as president of the UAE the following day.

As ruler of Abu Dhabi, he attracted cultural and academic centres to Abu Dhabi, helping establish the Louvre Abu Dhabi, New York University Abu Dhabi, and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. He also established Etihad Airways.

During Khalifa's presidency, the United Arab Emirates became a regional economic powerhouse and its non-oil economy grew.

As president during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, he led efforts to protect the federation by directing the payment of billions of dollars in emergency bailout funds into Dubai.

In January 2014, Khalifa had a stroke and was in stable condition after surgery. He then assumed a lower profile in state affairs but retained ceremonial presidential powers.

His half-brother Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan carried out public affairs of the state and day-to-day decision-making of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In 2018, Forbes named Khalifa in its list of the world's most powerful people.

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