The late President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Credit: Wikipedia Commons)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
WASHINGTON DC – PENTAGON – The U.S. Department of Defense expressed the “deepest of condolences” to the people of the United Arab Emirates on the passing of their President “and our friend” His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday. The UAE’s ruler died Friday, the government’s state-run news agency announced in a brief statement adding there will be a 40-day mourning period. He was 73.
“On behalf of the Secretary and everybody here at the Department of Defense, I’d like to express the deepest of condolences to the people of the United Arab Emirates on the passing of their President and our friend, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. His Highness was a visionary leader for not just his country but actually for the entire region and we’re grateful for his steadfast commitment to regional stability and security, and we continue to honor his legacy through what is and what we know will remain a very strong defense partnership with the UAE.”
-Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby May 13, 2022
Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times / Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby briefs reporters at the Pentagon in Washington DC. May 13, 2022.
Sheikh Khalifa was the Gulf country’s second president, serving since 2004. Sheikh Khalifa had suffered a stroke and underwent surgery in 2014. Sheikh Khalifa has rarely been seen in public in the years since.
