Mohamed Bin Zayed, from a humble Crown Prince to becoming the UAE President

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Federal Supreme Council on Saturday unanimously elected His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as President of the United Arab Emirates.

The Council held a meeting on Saturday at Al Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed held the following positions until becoming the President of the UAE on May 14, 2022:

— Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, November 2004.

— Chairman of the Executive Council, December 2004.

— Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, January 2005.

— Chairman of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), September 2005.

— Chairman of Mubadala Development Company, 2002.

— Chairman of UAE Offset Programme Bureau (OPB), 1992.

Both bodies were under the chairmanship of late Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed.

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed is the son of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 'Father of the Nation' and the first President of the UAE, and the brother of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. Sheikh Mohamed is married to Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, and has four sons and five daughters:   

Sheikha Mariam Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikha Shamsa Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikha Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikha Shamma Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Zayed Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikha Hassa Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Mohamed was born March 11, 1961, he also played an active role, participating in the development of the emirate of Abu Dhabi for more than three decades where it witnessed a rapid economic and social transformation.

Sheikh Mohamed, is known, and for a long time, to be the directing force behind many initiatives that contributed into supporting and enforcing the security of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and motivate its economic growth and diversity.

Working in the Military Field

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was educated at schools in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi until the age of 18. In 1979, he joined the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he trained in armour, helicopter flying, tactical flying and paratroops.

After graduating, he returned home to the UAE to join the Officers' Training Course in Sharjah, another Emirate of the UAE.

His training included a fundamental armor course and a fundamental flying course, helicopters and tactical planes, as well as parachutist course.  His Highness has an experience in flying the Gazelle helicopter armor and fleet, fly school and air college.

Before His Highness became Armed Forced Chief of Staff in 1993, he was assigned to two positions, Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defense and Deputy Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff, he was capped as General a year after his graduation. After the passing of the late Sheikh Zayed (may he rest in peace) in 2004, and the election of his elder brother, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al Nahyan as President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed was assigned as Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in 2005, and was promoted to LT General.
 
He has held a number of roles in the UAE military, from that of Officer in the Amiri Guard (the UAE's elite security force) and Pilot in the UAE Air Force, to his current role as Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Guided by the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the-then President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed helped develop the UAE Armed Forces in terms of strategic planning, training, organisational structure and promoting defence capabilities.

Sheikh Mohamed’s direct guidance and leadership, led the UAE Armed Forces to become a leading institution that is widely admired by many international military organisations.
Sheikh Mohamed also holds a number of political and economic roles at an Emirate level and a wider Federal level in the UAE.

Among his many interests, Sheikh Mohamed is known for his unwavering commitment to enhance educational standards in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and raise them to be on par with the best international standards.

Since Sheikh Mohamed took on the Chairmanship of the Abu Dhabi Education Council he has worked tirelessly to forge partnerships with prestigious world-class educational institutions and think-tanks, a number of which have subsequently announced plans to either establish a base in or join strategic joint ventures with existing academic establishments, under the direction of late president Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed.