Dubai’s deputy ruler and minister of finance for the United Arab Emirates has died.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum died on Wednesday at the age of 75. He was ill for several months, Al Jazeera reported. Shekh Hamdan was the brother of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He served as UAE finance minister for the last 50 years.
Sheikh is credited with turning Dubai into a world center of trade and business, according to Al Jazeera.
He was the president of the governing board of the Dubai Ports Authority and was the UAE’s chief representative at the International Monetary Fund, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund and to the Arab states.
In the wake of Sheik Hamdan’s death, a 10-day mourning period including flags flown at half-staff was declared for Dubai, and the UAE president declared three days of mourning and flags to be flown at half-staff.