Eva Deschamps / May 16, 2022
King Philip will travel to Abu Dhabi on Monday to offer his condolences to the new President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, following the death of his predecessor, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Royal Palace announced in a statement.
This trip by Philippe is not the first one in this country of the Arabian Peninsula, either as a prince in the framework of economic missions or as head of state. Last February, the royal couple visited the capital Abu Dhabi as well as Dubai as part of the Belgian Day of the World Expo that was held there.
The Emirati authorities announced Friday the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyane, who had accompanied over the past two decades the meteoric rise of his country on the international scene.
Born in January 1948, Sheikh Khalifa succeeded his father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyane, president and founding father of the United Arab Emirates, a wealthy Gulf state comprising seven emirates including Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi, in 2004. But since his stroke in 2014, his famous half-brother, Mohammed bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi nicknamed MBZ, has been running the country's affairs and is considered the de facto ruler of the increasingly influential oil monarchy.