Things You Didn’t Know About Khalifa bin Zayed

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the current President of the United Arab Emirates, is an Emirati royal politician. Here are some little to unknown facts about him:

1. He currently serves as the President of the United Arab Emirates, the Emir of Abu Dhabi and the Supreme Commander of the Union Defence Force.
2. He serves as the chairman of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. 
3. His family, the Al Nahyan family fortune worth more than $150 billion.
4. He succeeded his father Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan on November 2, 2004.
5. The world’s tallest man-made structure, a skyscraper in Dubai, in the year 2010.
6. Sheikh halifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was born on September 7, 1948. 
7. His father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
8. His mother Sheikha Hassa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
9. He is the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed and Sheikha Hassa.
10. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in London.
11. Sheikh Khalifa was appointed as the Ruler’s in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi. 
12. He also served as the Head of the Courts Department in Al Ain. 
13. On February 1, 1969 he took over as the Head of the Abu Dhabi Department of Defence.
14. Since 1971 he handled many roles simultaneously like Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Defence and the Head of the Abu Dhabi Cabinet.
15. He became the second Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, on December 23, 1973.
16. Chairman of Executive Council of Abu Dhabi on January 20, 1974.
17. He established the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, in 1976.
18. He was the head of the Supreme Petroleum Council since the late 1980s.
19. He replaced his father as the emir of Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2004. 
20. As the President of the UAE, he announced on December 1, 2005 that half of the members of the Federal National Council, would be indirectly.
21. He is behind the successful initiatives like Khalifa Excellence Award, Khalifa Award for Education, Debt Settlement Fund, and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.
22. He sent the UAE Air Force to support the military intervention in Libya in March 2011.
23. He also pledged the full support of the UAE to the Bahraini regime.
24. He launched the Emirates Polio Campaign. 
25. In the year 2010, Sheikh Khalifa was described in a WikiLeaks cable signed by the U.S.
26. Sheikh Khalifa reportedly suffered a stroke on January 24, 2014.
27. He reportedly commissioned the longest motor yacht ever built and named Azzam in the year 2013.
28. He dedicated the year 2015, as the year of Innovation allocating over 300 billion for innovation through science and technology.
29. A program with the aim to promote “allegiance” was initiated in the fall 2011.
30. He is married to Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Sheikh Sultan, Sheikha Mouza, Sheikha Osha, Sheikha Salama, who is the wife of Sheikh Mansour bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, -Sheikha Shamma and Sheikha Latifa.