DUBAI: State media reported on Wednesday that President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates had named his eldest son, Sheikh Khaled, as crown prince of Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of the Gulf state, and his brothers to top positions.
After years of leading the US-allied OPEC oil producer, Sheikh Mohammed, who became president and ruler of Abu Dhabi last year, appointed his brother Sheikh Mansour as vice president, along with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
This seemed to make power even more centralized in Abu Dhabi, which is the political capital of the UAE federation of seven emirates because of its enormous oil wealth. Dubai is the business and tourism capital of the Gulf.
Sheikh Mohammed appointed Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan as deputy rulers of Abu Dhabi. Both brothers are in charge of a vast business empire and serve as the UAE's national security adviser.
Cinzia Bianco, a research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, stated on Twitter that he maintained "some power-sharing balance, but only within (Abu Dhabi's) Al Nahyan clan" by appointing prominent brothers to new positions.
The selection of Sheikh Khaled as crown prince reflects a trend that most Gulf Arab monarchies, including Saudi Arabia, favor direct lineage—sons over brothers—for succession.
Abu Dhabi has held the administration starting from the establishing of the UAE organization by Sheik Mohammed's dad in 1971.
Analysts assert that Sheikh Mohammed, also known as MbZ, had been grooming his son for positions of authority in the economy, governance, security, and intelligence.
Before taking over in May after his brother's death, MbZ had been de facto ruler for years. This occurred at a time when the UAE's long-standing ties with the United States were strained due to the perception that the United States was withdrawing from the region.
He oversaw a realignment of the Middle East when the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain joined forces in 2020 to form a new anti-Iran axis in the region. At the same time, he continued to work with Tehran to keep tensions under control and focus on economic priorities.
The UAE has likewise extended attaches with Russia and China.
The nation of fewer than 10 million people takes great pride in the stability of its political and economic systems. It has one of the world's most noteworthy per-capita pay levels and is home to a great many ostracize laborers who make up the main part of the labor force.
In a different pronouncement on Wednesday, MbZ named Sheik Khaled as head of Abu Dhabi's leader gathering, the most recent reshuffle at key elements in the emirate, one of the world's richest state financial backers.
Sheikh Tahnoun was appointed chair of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, earlier this month. Mubadala, Abu Dhabi's second-largest sovereign wealth fund, was headed by Sheikh Mansour.