Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid pays tribute to late Sheikh Zayed as visionary leader who built nation and people

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan on the 60th anniversary of his accession as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, describing the UAE's Founding Father as a visionary leader whose legacy extended beyond nation-building to shaping generations and forging a lasting bond between people and their homeland.

"Life has taught me that Zayed was not only a leader and a statesman, but a great thinker," Sheikh Mohammed said in a post on X.

"There are great leaders who build nations, and there are thinkers and reformers who build people. Zayed built a nation, built its people, and forged a profound relationship between people and their homeland. Zayed will remain immortal in the memory of the nation and in the conscience of its people," he added.

Sheikh Mohammed's remarks came as the UAE marks the 60th anniversary of Sheikh Zayed's accession as Ruler of Abu Dhabi on August 6, 1966, a milestone widely regarded as the beginning of the country's modern development and the path that culminated in the establishment of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. His vision of placing people at the heart of development continues to underpin the nation's progress and global standing.