Sheikh Khalifa: Forging global alliances

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomes Sheikh Zayed upon his return from Geneva after a private visit in 2003. Sheikh Khalifa supported his father Sheikh Zayed in the task of building relationships with the international community. This ensured that by the time he became president, he had acquired considerable experience in the realm of foreign affairs.

CLOSE NEIGHBOUR: Sheikh Khalifa welcomes Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed to the first Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Abu Dhabi in 1981. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai is present.

AFRICAN HORIZON: Sheikh Khalifa receives Mohammad Saeed Barre, President of Somalia, at Abu Dhabi airport in 1980. As early as 1976, Sheikh Khalifa spoke regularly of the importance of the UAE reaching out to all nations and that no nation should shut the door on itself. He took the emerging nations of Africa as an example of this foreign policy.

GUARD OF HONOUR: Sheikh Khalifa inspects the guard of honour at the graduation ceremony of the 13th batch of pilots at the Air Force Academy in Abu Dhabi in 1991.

CLOSE US TIES: Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum during talks with General Tommy Franks, Commander of the US Central Forces in Abu Dhabi in 2001. While cooperating with the US in the liberation of Kuwait, Sheikh Khalifa made it clear that it was not a battle against the Iraqi people, but against those who oppressed them.

PROUD MOMENT: Sheikh Khalifa with General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Crown Prince of Dubai and Defence Minister, at the graduation ceremony of the second batch of staff officers at the military academy in Abu Dhabi in 1993. Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammad look at a portrait of Sheikh Zayed presented to Sheikh Khalifa during the function.

HAND OF FRIENDSHIP: Helmut Schmidt, Chancellor of West Germany, with Sheikh Khalifa during a meeting at Al Khalidiya Palace in 1981.

Sheikh Khalifa receives Eid greetings from a Moroccan scholar at the guest palace in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2001.