Who Is UAE’s New President Mohamed bin Zayed?

MbZ, long the de facto ruler of the Emirates, made peace with Israel, hopes to contain Iran

The death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates president and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, died on Friday, paving the way for his younger half-brother, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, known as MbZ, to officially take power. Sheikh Khalifa, 73, had been battling poor health since he suffered a stroke in 2014, leaving Sheikh Mohamed the de facto ruler for the past several years.

Sheikh Mohamed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi on Friday, and the UAE’s Federal Supreme Council elected him president of the Emirates on Saturday in a unanimous vote.

As crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed, a graduate of Britain’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, was seen as a strongman with the capability of elevating the UAE to greater heights.

US President Joe Biden congratulated the new Emirati president and said, in a statement, that he looks forward to strengthening the bond with his “long-time friend.”

MbZ, 61, is the third son of the late founder and first president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He and his wife, Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, have four sons and five daughters. Sheikha Salama is also of royal descent.

Sheikh Mohamed made big decisions in the shadow of his half-brother, though he is often known to shy away from the public eye. He launched the UAE’s first military campaign abroad, in Yemen, built a nuclear power program, became the first Gulf leader to normalize relations with Israel, sent a UAE man to space, and led a no-mercy domestic security policy.

A practicing Muslim, MbZ also has taken bold steps against the Muslim Brotherhood, referring to it as a profound threat in the Middle East.

Formal confirmation of Mohamed bin Zayed in a role that he has had since 2014 could presage policy change in the UAE, such as in relation to the growth of relations with Israel, a change in state conduct toward Yemen or the UAE’s engagement in regional states

With an already extensive portfolio of achievements as de facto leader, the world is anxious to see what will happen with Sheikh Mohamed in the president’s seat.

“As he has, in effect, fulfilled the role of his long-ailing brother, it is perhaps less of a transition and more of a formalization of what has already been the case for many years, Drewery Dyke, a senior research fellow at the London-based Foreign Policy Centre, told The Media Line. “Nevertheless, the formalization can be expected to bolster his position and power base.

“Formal confirmation of Mohamed bin Zayed in a role that he has had since 2014 could presage policy change in the UAE, such as in relation to the growth of relations with Israel, a change in state conduct toward Yemen or the UAE’s engagement in regional states,” Dyke continued.

French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in the UAE this weekend to extend condolences and congratulate the new ruler. US Vice President Kamala Harris met with Sheikh Mohamed on Monday.

Egypt

The UAE and Egypt have strong ties and the two countries are already discussing “ways to further boost our deep ties and areas of continued cooperation,” Sheikh Mohamed told the Emirates News Agency.

MbZ supported President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi as the leader of Egypt, against elected Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

Iran

Sheikh Mohamed sought to revive ties with Tehran over the last two years, despite the regime’s support of Islamists. But the Associated Press reported this week that MbZ “long has been suspicious of both the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran, likely organizing a campaign targeting Islamists in the UAE after the 2011 Arab Spring and urging the West to take a harder line toward Tehran over concerns about its nuclear program and its support of paramilitary groups throughout the region.”

The process of building relations with Iran is slow, but it would not be surprising to see MbZ move it ahead. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian paid his respects to the late president on Monday, in a rare visit to the UAE.

“The truth seems to be that Iran’s own internal challenges such as in relation to serious renewed social unrest over living standards, the fate of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or Iran nuclear deal] are at the forefront of policy makers’ minds, not the formal change in leadership in the UAE,” Dyke said.

“Yet, UAE relations remain important in helping to shape Iran’s engagement with the region and, through its role as a trade and transport hub … the UAE and Iran will continue to keep the door open to each other, at some level, as a mutually beneficial relationship endures,” Dyke added.

Israel

MbZ was a key player and the “principal architect” in the 2020 Abraham Accords, normalizing the UAE’s relations with Israel, Gerald M. Feierstein, distinguished senior fellow for diplomatic engagement and director of the Arabian Peninsula program at the Middle East Institute, told The Media Line.

The Abraham Accords launched trade agreements, tourism and flights between the countries, and a developing relationship. Ties between the UAE and Israel are expected to strengthen, especially over their shared skepticism of Iran.

“His agreement to normalize with Israel demonstrated as well the significant influence that the UAE has in the broader Arab ummah [community or nation],” said Feierstein. “As long as MbZ perceives that the relationship is advancing core UAE national interests, he will remain a supporter of the initiative.”

Libya

Last year, Sheikh Mohamed met with the head of Libya’s internationally recognized government, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh, on his first visit to the UAE. Following the meeting, MbZ announced on Twitter that he stands with the Libyan people as they overcome their challenges.

Palestine

The Abraham Accords brought feelings of betrayal and abandonment for the Palestinian Authority, as the UAE had not previously recognized Israel, in an effort to press for an end to the occupation. The agreement was announced and signed by then-US President Donald Trump amid the global pandemic and after the Trump Administration cut funding to the Palestinian Authority.

“While normalization with Israel addressed substantial UAE interests, there remains strong domestic sympathy for the Palestinian national cause there,” Feierstein said.

He added: “At times when Israeli and Palestinian interests collide, for example in the recent spate of violence and the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, MbZ will need to balance the UAE’s relations with Israel and support for Palestinian rights. Israeli actions on the ground will play a role in determining his ability to maintain that balance.”

Russia

MbZ and Russian President Vladimir Putin have maintained a close mutual relationship over the years, expressing a long history of strong ties. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Sheikh Mohamed offered his assistance in creating a peaceful solution between the warring countries.

Saudi Arabia

The ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been strong in the past and are expected to strengthen in the future. Sheikh Mohamed has a special relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), 36, that has sometimes resembled a mentor-mentee bond.

MbS views the older man as a role model for what can be achieved in the Gulf.

“MbZ’s strong relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been a key pillar of Gulf policies over the past five years,” said Feierstein. “MbZ will continue to play an important part and will use his influence on Saudi policy to maintain close coordination between the two governments.”

William Law, editor of the Arab Digest, told Al Jazeera, “Domestically MbS has looked at what the UAE has achieved in the way of attracting foreign investment, business and tourism, and with [Saudi] Vision 2030 would very much like to replicate the Emiratis’ success.”

United States

After disputes around the war in Yemen, then MbZ hosting Syrian President Bashar Assad, the US has had a strained relationship with the new president. The US sent warnings to him about building ties with Damascus, but his track record shows that he is not necessarily concerned with opinions in Washington.

In any case, Biden sent warm and encouraging congratulations to MbZ in a private phone call and in a public statement. Harris led a delegation to the UAE in an effort to re-establish a strong bilateral partnership.

“Recent engagements that MbZ has conducted with senior US officials, including Vice President Harris and Secretary of State Blinken, have done much to clear the air and stabilize the US-UAE relationship,” said Feierstein. “As a firm supporter of close bilateral ties, we might anticipate that MbZ will continue to promote the relationship and emphasize areas of cooperation and collaboration.”

Yemen

The military-focused Sheikh Mohamed joined Saudi Arabia in a war in Yemen in 2015, but he has since taken steps back to a more diplomatic approach.

The UAE’s part in the Yemen war has been bloody, expensive, and damaging to the Emirates’ reputation. A UN panel issued accusations of war crimes, and by 2019, Sheikh Mohamed extricated his forces from the conflict.

“UAE policy for several years has emphasized a desire to see the end of the Yemen civil conflict through a political negotiation,” Feierstein said.

Crystal Dunlap is an intern in The Media Line’s Press and Policy Student Program.