Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the man who has long controlled the levers of power in the United Arab Emirates, has succeeded his late brother as ruler.
The UAE’s federal council elected Sheikh Mohammed, commonly referred to as MBZ, as the country’s president, according to state media on Saturday. Sheikh Mohammed has frequently used his clout to intervene in regional conflicts with one of the Middle East’s best-equipped militaries.
Crown prince of Abu Dhabi since 2004, MBZ controls the world’s fourth-richest wealth fund and about 6% of proven reserves of crude oil. He’s also helped hone the UAE’s image as a socially liberal, pro-business oasis in a turbulent region while keeping a tight grip on dissent and blanketing the country with high-tech surveillance.
