Issued on:
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the first Gulf leader to strike a deal normalising relations with Israel, has long been seen as a strongman who has driven the UAE's rise to diplomatic prominence.
Advertising Read more
A trained soldier and football fan, Sheikh Mohamed has for years been the quiet power behind the throne of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
In a 2009 note to US President Barack Obama leaked by WikiLeaks, former American ambassador Richard Olson said the royal — better known as MBZ — was "the man who runs the United Arab Emirates".
Despite a low profile, and his apparent reluctance to speak in public, his ambition has been on display in recent years as the UAE built its profile as a regional player.
The country — a collection of emirates better known for its skyscrapers, palm-shaped islands and opulent mega attractions — has in short order built a nuclear power program and sent a man to space.
And in July it joined another elite club by sending a probe to Mars, to mark the 50th anniversary of its unification.
Named crown prince of Abu Dhabi in November 2004, Sheikh Mohamed is the third son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahayan — the revered founder of the UAE.
With his brother Sheikh Khalifa the nation's president, he serves as deputy commander of the armed forces and chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, which controls the emirate's substantial finances.
While the glitzier emirate of Dubai has had to develop its tourism and services industries to make its fortune, Abu Dhabi sits on 90 percent of UAE oil production.
Military muscle
Born in the capital on March 11, 1961, Sheikh Mohamed was sent to military school in Britain, where he graduated from the famed Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in 1979.
He rapidly rose through the ranks of the armed forces to become air force commander, deputy chief of staff and finally chief of staff in January 1993 and a year later was promoted to the rank of general.
Described by diplomats as Abu Dhabi's strongman, Sheikh Mohamed has forged links in world capitals, particularly in the West.
He is widely believed to have taken the decision to deploy boots on the ground in Yemen in 2015 as part of a Saudi-led military campaign against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels.
The Yemen war marked the first protracted military campaign abroad for the UAE and the first time it had to contend with military casualties, with dozens of Emirati soldiers killed.
The coalition has been denounced for air strikes, including on markets and hospitals, that have caused heavy civilian casualties since intervening in Yemen in March 2015.
The UAE, which largely exited the conflict last year, has also been accused of running secret prisons across southern Yemen. It denies the accusations.
Tight grip
Although the crown prince does not often speak in public — he left the November 2017 inaugural speech of the Louvre Abu Dhabi to Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid — his reach into the political sphere cannot be underestimated.
Under his leadership, Abu DhaRead More – Source
[contf] [contfnew]
