© Reuters. President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Ruler of Sharjah Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi attend a Federal Supreme Council assembly at Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Might 14, 2022. United Arab Emirates Ministry of Presidential Affairs/Handout through REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
2/2
DUBAI (Reuters) -The United Arab Emirates’ de facto chief Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan was elected president of the Gulf Arab state by a federal supreme council on Saturday, solidifying his rule over the OPEC oil producer and key regional participant.
He turns into president at a time when the UAE’s long-standing ties with the USA have been strained over perceived U.S. disengagement from its Gulf allies’ safety issues and as Western nations search help from the area to assist isolate Russia over the Ukraine battle.
The council, which teams the rulers of the seven emirates of the UAE federation, elected Sheikh Mohammed, generally known as MbZ, a day after the dying of his half-brother, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, who was additionally ruler of Abu Dhabi.
“We congratulate him and pledge allegiance to him as do our individuals,” mentioned Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who can be UAE vice-president and premier.
MbZ, 61, has wielded energy behind the scenes for years and led a realignment of the Center East that created a brand new anti-Iran axis with Israel.
The UAE, a commerce and tourism hub, has additionally deepened ties with Russia and China at a time when Washington’s political capital with Abu Dhabi and Riyadh has been eroded by variations over the Yemen warfare, Iran and U.S. circumstances on arms gross sales.
“Mohammed bin Zayed has set not solely the longer term course for the UAE however for a lot of the Gulf in his method to state constructing and energy projection,” mentioned Kristin Diwan, senior resident scholar at Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
“The long run course below him is ready and is mirrored in different Gulf leaders adopting state-led and globally-oriented financial diversification.”
‘EXTRAORDINARY FOUNDATION’
The Biden administration has moved to fix ties with oil heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Each have refused to take sides within the Russia-Ukraine battle and rebuffed Western calls to pump extra oil to assist tame crude costs.
President Joe Biden mentioned in a press release on Saturday that he regarded ahead to working with Sheikh Mohammed “to construct from this extraordinary basis to additional strengthen the bonds between our nations and peoples.”
Vice President Kamala Harris will head a U.S. delegation to the UAE on Monday to supply condolences following Khalifa’s dying and can meet with MbZ, press secretary Kirsten Allen mentioned.
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Israeli President Isaac Herzog are on account of arrive on Sunday. [S8N2S7032]
MbZ as president wouldn’t lead the UAE to interrupt with the USA or different Western companions although he’ll diversify the nation’s worldwide companions, Emirati political scientist Abulkhaleq Abdulla informed Reuters.
MbZ has shifted away from a hawkish international coverage and army adventurism, that noticed the UAE wade into conflicts from Yemen to Libya, to give attention to financial priorities. This has seen the UAE have interaction with foes Iran and Turkey after years of animosity, in addition to Syria’s president.
“MbZ might want to take additional steps to cement the UAE’s place because the area’s main monetary, logistics, and buying and selling hub,” James Swanston of Capital Economics mentioned in a observe, referring to a push by Gulf states to diversify economies amid a worldwide vitality transition away from hydrocarbons.
