New Delhi: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the next President of the UAE, the Supreme Council announced on Saturday, Khaleej Times reported. The 61-year-old leader will be the country’s third President after succeeding Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who breathed his last earlier on Friday at the age of 73. The move came as the Federal Supreme Council convened on Saturday to elect the President, who will hold office for a five-year term before being eligible for re-election.
The new President was selected from among the members of the Federal Supreme Council.
Sheikh Mohamed, who served as Abu Dhabi Crown Prince since November 2004, will be the 17th Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Mohamed, who has also served as the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces since January 2005, is known for playing a key role in developing the forces in terms of strategic planning, training, organisational structure and promoting defence capabilities.
The UAE Armed Forces has under his leadership emerged as a leading institution, which is widely admired by the international military organisations.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs has declared 40 days of mourning following the demise of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who served as President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi since November 3, 2004.
He was elected to succeed his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the UAE's first president from the union's inception in 1971 until his death on November 2, 2004.