It comes after the death of the late President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday. The power transition marks only the third time the US-allied nation of seven emirates has chosen a president since becoming an independent nation in 1971.
The latest, which saw Sheikh Khalifa succeed his and Sheikh Mohammed’s father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, came a month after his death in 2004. The speed of Saturday’s announcement, just a day later seemed designed to show unity and reassure the world of the stability of this oil and gas producing nation that is home to Western military forces.
WAM described the vote as unanimous among the rulers of the emirates in the country, which also includes the skyscraper-dotted city of Dubai.
“We congratulate him, and we pledge allegiance to him, and our people pledge allegiance to him,” Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said on Twitter after the vote. “The whole country is led by him to take him on the paths of glory and honor, God willing.”
The UAE as a whole is observing a three-day period of mourning that will see businesses across the country closed and performances halted in honor of Sheikh Khalifa. Electronic billboards all showed the image of the late sheikh in Dubai on Friday night as flags flew at half mast.
Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
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