As the United Arab Emirates entered its third day of mourning, world leaders continued to offer their condolences to UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan following the death of his brother, Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who served as the Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative. The news of Sheikh Saeed’s passing was announced in the early hours of Thursday, and it was revealed that he had been suffering from a health issue.
Numerous leaders reached out to Sheikh Mohamed to express their heartfelt sympathies during this difficult time. Condolences were received from King Mohammed VI of Morocco, President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldives, President Mario Abdo Benitez of Paraguay, and President-elect Santiago Pena of Paraguay. In their messages, these leaders prayed for the late Sheikh Saeed to rest in peace and for comfort and solace to be granted to the UAE President and the Al Nahyan family.
Earlier, Sheikh Mohamed had already received condolence calls from several prominent figures, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai; and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. Additionally, numerous sheikhs, ministers, senior officials, and mourners offered their condolences to Sheikh Mohamed.
At Qasr Al Mushrif in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Sheikh Mohamed received condolences from Dr. Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers in Saudi Arabia; Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan; and Mohammed Al Halbousi, the Speaker of Iraq’s parliament.
Beyond the UAE, tributes and condolences poured in from various leaders in the region. King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia sent their condolences on Friday. Sultan Haitham of Oman conveyed his condolences through a cable to Sheikh Mohamed, while Adel Al Asoomi, President of the Arab Parliament, and King Abdullah II of Jordan also offered their sympathies. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Tunisian President Kais Saied, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al Sudani, and Najib Mikati, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, were among others who expressed their condolences.
Reflecting on the loss of his brother, Sheikh Mohamed tweeted, “With the passing of my brother Saeed bin Zayed, the UAE has lost a loyal son who was dedicated to his country and its people.” He added, “We pray that God grants him eternal rest and that we are blessed with patience and solace at this time.” The outpouring of support from world leaders and regional figures highlights the significance of Sheikh Saeed’s contributions and the unity of those offering their sympathies to the UAE President and his family during this period of mourning.