King Mohammed VI expresses sincere condolences, deep feelings of compassion at death of president of UAE

King Mohammed VI, in his own name and on behalf of the royal family, and the entire Moroccan people, expressed his sincerest condolences and deep feelings of sympathy for the tragedy that befell the United Arab Emirates following the sad news of the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the Gulf country.

Following the sad news of the death of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “King Mohammed VI expressed in his personal name and on behalf of the Royal Family and the Moroccan people, his sincere condolences and deep feelings of compassion after this loss that has plunged the illustrious Princely Family of the State of the United Arab Emirates into grief,” said the Royal office in a statement.

 

In this painful circumstance, the King recalled the deep bonds of sincere affection, mutual esteem and continuous understanding that bound the Sovereign to the deceased and that constantly united the UAE Princely Family and the Moroccan Royal Family.

The Sovereign also stressed that “the Kingdom of Morocco remembers, with the esteem due to the deceased, may God have him in His holy mercy, the affection and the strong bonds of brotherhood and solidarity, in good and bad times, that the deceased bore towards Morocco, and his great concern for the consolidation and development of the exceptional and distinguished relations linking the two brotherly countries, as well as for the reinforcement of their bonds of solidarity and mutual aid with regard to the various crucial questions of common interest,” added the Royal Office statement.

 

In this difficult moment, King Mohammed VI expressed the great esteem he holds for “the great achievements made by the late President in favor of the brotherly State of the United Arab Emirates, by continuing the work of his late father, Sheikh Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and by ensuring its modernization and the development of its economic and political capacities, which enabled it to occupy a prominent place at the Arab, regional and international levels, and to play an active role in defending just Arab causes and consolidating Arab-Islamic ties of solidarity.”

 

On this sad occasion, the King sent messages of condolences and compassion to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates, as well as to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and President of the Council of Ministers.

 

The UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan passed away this Friday at the age of 73, announced the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs, which declared an official mourning for 40 days as of this May 13. The country’s flags will be flown at half-mast during the mourning period, while government departments, and private sector institutions will be closed for three days.

Sheikh Khalifa, the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, succeeded his father and served as the president of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, and the supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces since 2004.

Khalifa suffered a stroke in January 2014 and has since reduced his involvement in state issues while retaining ceremonial presidential powers. His half-brother, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has since been overseeing state affairs.