The United Arab Emirates` federal supreme council has elected Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the new president of UAE.
According to the state news agency (WAM), Sheikh Mohamed was elected as the new president after his brother Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan breathed his last a day before at the age of 73, following long years of illness.
Sheikh Mohamed, often known as `MBZ`, met members of the Federal Supreme Council, made up of rulers of the UAE`s seven emirates, as the oil-rich country enters a period of mourning for his half-brother Sheikh Khalifa.
His ascension, which was widely expected, formalises his position as leader of the desert state of 10 million after years of calling the shots while Sheikh Khalifa was sidelined by poor health.
Under his low-key direction, the United Arab Emirates has put a man in space, sent a probe to Mars and opened its first nuclear reactor, while using its oil-funded clout to develop a more assertive foreign policy.
