Sheikh Khalifa passes away: UAE declares 3-day closure, 40-day mourning period

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Presidential Affairs has declared official mourning for His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for 40 days from today (Friday).

In a statement issued today, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced the death of Sheikh Khalifa: “The Ministry of Presidential Affairs mourns the death of the nation’s President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.”

Ministries, departments, federal and local institutions and private sector institutions will remain closed for three days from tomorrow (Saturday). Official working hours will resume next Tuesday.

Sheikh Khalifa was the second President of the UAE and the 16th Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

He assumed the federal constitutional authority as President of the UAE and became Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2004, succeeding his late father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who passed away on November 2, 2004.