Amir Tamim congratulates UAE’s MbZ on new leadership appointments

Analysts took to social media to comment on the latest key appointments, noting that some of names chosen by the Emirati leader were expected.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani congratulated President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also known as MbZ, on a range of new leadership appointments on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Amiri Diwan said Sheikh Tamim congratulated the Emirati leader in a phone call, “wishing them all the success in performing their duties.”

“The President of the sisterly United Arab Emirates extended his thanks and appreciation to HH the Amir for his sincere fraternal feelings,” the Amiri Diwan said.

Sheikh Mohammed named his eldest son, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

The Emirati leader appointed his brother, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the UAE’s Vice President. 

Sheikh Mansour served as the UAE’s deputy prime minister and minister of the Presidential Court. He is also the owner of Manchester City football club.

MbZ appointed his brother, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Deputy Rulers of Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Tahnoun is also the UAE’s national security adviser and serves as the chairman of Abu Dhabi’s ADQ sovereign wealth fund.

The latest appointments come a year after MbZ became the UAE’s president and Abu Dhabi’s ruler following the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, his half-brother. 

Analysts took to social media to comment on the latest key appointments, noting that the names chosen by MbZ were expected.

“As expected, MbZ appoints his son Khaled bin Mohammad as Crown Prince of the UAE. A jump towards the next generation. However, as expected, MbZ also appointed his prominent brothers to new roles, keeping some power-sharing balance, but only within the Al-Nahyan clan,” Dr. Cinzia Bianco, research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, Tweeted.

Sheikh Tahnoun has been widely perceived as the equivalent of Sheikh Mohammed and has been described by analysts as the mastermind of political strategy.

The new Abu Dhabi deputy ruler was the first UAE official to visit Qatar after the resumption of ties between the two countries following the 2017 Gulf Cooperation Council Crisis.

The region’s worst rift saw the UAE join Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt in imposing an illegal air, land and sea blockade on Qatar over claims of terrorism support. 

Qatar had repeatedly rejected the allegations made by the quartet and slammed them as baseless.

On 5 January 2021, Qatar and the rest of the GCC, along with Egypt, signed the Al-Ula Declaration in Saudi Arabia, marking the end of the Gulf crisis that fragmented the region.

Relations gradually picked up following the signing of the accord with ties between Doha and Riyadh resuming at a faster pace.

Progress was seen late last year with a surprise visit by MbZ to Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, also his first to the Gulf state since becoming president.