UAE president issues decree retiring two senior aides

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in his capacity as Ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, has issued an Emiri Decree retiring Mubarak Saad Mohammed Saad bin Qathla Al Ahbabi, chairman of the Private Department of the President, and Ahmed Ali Mohammed Musabbah Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Private Department of the President, the official news agency WAM reported.

Sheikh Khalifa, who celebrated the tenth anniversary of his presidency in November last year, underwent surgery after a stroke in January 2014.

In July 2014, HH General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, dismissed concerns about the UAE President’s health as mere rumours, according to a report by state news agency WAM.

Following a number of messages on social networking sites wishing good health and recovery to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed told WAM that concerns about the UAE leader's health were mere rumours as his health is fine.

The Crown Prince urged social media users to be cautious and to validate the transfer of information and news online “in order to use modern technology and social networking sites for the benefit of our society and country”.

Born in 1948, Sheikh Khalifa is known as a pro-Western moderniser who has ruled the UAE since the death of his father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan in 2004.

He is also the ruler of oil-producing Abu Dhabi, the richest and most powerful of the UAE emirates, which also include Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah.