New UAE president meets Macron as world leaders stream in

The UAE’s new president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held talks Sunday with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron as world leaders streamed in to the oil-rich Gulf state to pay tribute to his late predecessor.

Macron, on his first overseas journey since his second time period began final week, expressed his condolences to the chief dubbed “MBZ” following the demise of his half-brother Sheikh Khalifa on Friday after a protracted sickness.

Macron, the primary Western chief to pay his respects, can be adopted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israel’s president and the king of Spain, amongst a protracted listing of dignitaries.

The United Arab Emirates has begun wielding elevated affect within the Center East and additional afield as a consequence of its wealth, oil assets and strategic location.

MBZ has been quietly working the nation since 2014 when Sheikh Khalifa, his 73-year-old half-brother, was sidelined by a stroke. The reason for his demise was not introduced.

Presidents and monarchs from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Tunisia and Sudan’s de facto ruler had been among the many leaders to supply their condolences on Saturday.

On Sunday, Qatar’s emir, Bahrain’s king and the Palestinian, German and Indonesian presidents had been amongst greater than 20 senior officers anticipated.

Macron, in his talks with Sheikh Mohamed, 61, expressed his “honest condolences to his household and the folks” over Sheikh Khalifa’s demise, in keeping with the French presidential workplace.

“The United Arab Emirates are a strategic accomplice for France, a truth that’s borne out by the diploma of our cooperation in areas as diverse as defence, tradition and schooling,” it added.

– Flags at half-mast –

Flags are at half-mast across the nation, which is observing 40 days of mourning for Sheikh Khalifa who took over after the demise of his father, founding president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, in 2004.

Sheikh Mohamed was chosen to move the federal government of the desert state in a unanimous vote Saturday by leaders of the nation’s seven emirates, as had been extensively anticipated.

MBZ’s shut ally, Saudi Arabia’s de facto chief Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, referred to as to congratulate the brand new president and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted to commend his “dynamic and visionary management”.

Blinken and Harris had been due Monday for a go to that would assist restore ties strained since President Joe Biden changed Donald Trump within the White Home.

The 2 sides have been at odds over Abu Dhabi’s refusal to sentence Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Washington’s reopening of nuclear talks with Iran, lengthy accused by Gulf states of making regional chaos.

Each Macron and Johnson had been making their second visits to Abu Dhabi in current months. Johnson’s go to in March did not persuade the UAE and Saudi Arabia to pump extra oil after Russia’s warfare in Ukraine despatched markets into turmoil.

The rich UAE has emerged as a pacesetter of a reshaped Center East, forging ties with Israel and becoming a member of a Saudi-led warfare towards Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

The UAE signed a 14-billion-euro contract for 80 Rafale warplanes throughout Macron’s earlier go to in December.