News

Sheikh Mohamed gets congratulatory messages from world

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2022

Staff Reporter

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Main image of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Credit: Tamim Hayyal Abazid/ Shutterstock.com

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Leaders from around the world have sent their congratulatory messages to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on taking over the presidency mantle in the UAE. The change in leadership follows the death of the predecessor Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, who led the UAE through an era of change since 2004.

Sheikh Mohamed has been the de factor leader for quite some time now after Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke in 2014, and most of the leaders have interacted with Sheikh Mohamed in recent years.

With the relations taking a formal note, the leaders have sent their wishes while French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Abu Dhabi to congratulate Sheikh Mohamed in person while also bidding farewell to Sheikh Khalifa.

Leaders from the nearby countries have also reached Abu Dhabi and the perfect statesman Sheikh Mohamed has been personally meeting them at the Presidential Airport wherever possible.

Among the leaders who have arrived are:

Sultan Haitham of Oman
Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of Egypt
King Abdullah II of Jordan
Barham Salih, President of Iraq, and Mustafa Al Kadhimi, Prime Minister of Iraq
Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon
Kais Saied, President of Tunisia
Aymen Benabderrahmane, Prime Minister of Algeria
General Abdel Fattal Al Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan
Mansour Azzam, Representative of the President of Syria

World hails MBZ

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent in his congratulations along with his father, King Salman, who had a colonoscopy operation last week and is recuperating.

Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defence also called on Sunday to wish the President good luck and hoped for further progress under his leadership.

Others to express their messages through social media or those shared by state news agency WAM are:
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi
“I am confident that under his dynamic and visionary leadership, our Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will continue to deepen.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping
“We are ready to work with the new president to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership for the benefit of the two countries and their peoples”.

The UK’s Queen Elizabeth II
“While it is under sorrowful circumstances, I offer my sincere and warmest congratulations on your appointment as President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. I look forward to the continuation of the strong and historic bonds between our two countries and peoples.”

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
“Warmest congratulations to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, a close friend of Greece, on his election as President of the UAE. I wish him from my heart every success in his new high duties, for the benefit of his country, his people and the region.”

Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi
“Pakistan values its fraternal relations with the UAE. I hope under his leadership fraternal relations between the two countries will be further strengthened.”

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari
“Your predecessor made a mark in the impressive transformation of the UAE, making it a vast business and tourist attraction, building infrastructure and creating one of the best living standards in the world. I’m confident that you are going to build on this great legacy. Nigeria looks forward to greater co-operation with the UAE which has tremendously helped Nigeria.”

Italian President Sergio Mattarella
“On the occasion of your election to the Presidency of the Federation of the United Arab Emirates, I would like to convey to you, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire Italian people, my warmest congratulations and my best wishes for your success in carrying out the high office entrusted to you. The articulate partnership between our countries is based on ancient ties, which I am sure we will continue to deepen, guided also by our common interest in peace, stability and progress in the region.”

Related Topics:#UAE #US Featured France Narendra Modi President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed

Staff Reporter

News

Wizz Air to terminate operations in Abu Dhabi

Published

10 hours ago

July 14, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Low-cost carrier Wizz Air said on Monday it was quitting its Abu Dhabi operation after six years to focus on its main European market, citing geopolitical instability and limited market access.

Wizz, which originally focused on central and eastern Europe but expanded into Britain, Italy and Austria, said in future it would concentrate on its much more profitable European business.

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Shares in the London-listed airline rose 1.5% in early trading. The stock is down about 62% over the last two years, hit by issues with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which led to the grounding of some of its aircraft.

Wizz said the geopolitical instability had led to repeated airspace closures around Abu Dhabi, hitting demand, while the impact of the hot environment in the Middle East had hurt engine efficiency, making it hard to operate its low-cost model.

Failure to secure the flying rights for certain routes had also meant it was unable to grow in the region as it had hoped, the airline said.

“They just couldn’t make money out of the Middle East,” Davy analyst Stephen Furlong said.

Wizz said it will stop local flights from September 1, 2025 and would be contacting customers regarding refunds.

“Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions,” Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi said in a statement.

“While this was a difficult decision, it is the right one given the circumstances,” he added.

Crime

UAE Central Bank fines local bank Dh3 million over anti-money laundering failures

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

Michael Gomes

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The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has imposed a financial penalty of Dh3 million on a local bank for failing to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

The fine was issued under Article 14 of Federal Decree Law No. (20) of 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations, as well as Article 137 of the Decretal Federal Law No. (14) of 2018 concerning the Central Bank and regulation of financial institutions.

The CBUAE said the penalty followed an investigation which found that the bank had not met regulatory requirements outlined in UAE legislation to combat financial crime.

In a statement, the Central Bank reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the transparency and integrity of the country’s financial system. “We continue to supervise and regulate all licensed financial institutions to ensure full compliance with UAE laws, regulations, and standards,” the authority said.

The name of the bank was not disclosed.

News

Dubai’s RTA steps up inspections of buses to ensure safety

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has urged transport operators to strictly follow regulations covering all modes of passenger transport, including chartered buses, tourist services, and international bus trips.

This comes after RTA completed over 15,500 inspections targeting operators in these sectors, as part of ongoing efforts to raise service standards and ensure safety.

“The inspections weren’t just about issuing violations,” said Saeed Al Balooshi, Director of Passenger Transport Activities Monitoring at RTA. “They’re designed to improve service quality and ensure operators meet the rules that keep Dubai’s transport sector running smoothly.”

Checks included verifying safety measures onboard and ensuring all required licences were in place. The RTA also teamed up with other authorities, including Dubai Police and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs at Hatta Border Post, to tackle misuse and irregularities in cross-border transport services.

Al Balooshi added that the authority is using new technologies to make inspections more effective by analysing violations and measuring the impact of enforcement campaigns. “Our goal is to ensure a reliable and high-quality experience for residents, visitors, and tourists, and to protect the reputation of Dubai’s public transport sector,” he said.