UAE President surprises UAE-based Canadian photographer during Canada PM’s visit

The spontaneous moment quickly became the highlight of the visit

Last updated: November 21, 2025 | 09:38

Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

1 MIN READ

A candid moment as UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed captures a photo of Canadian PM Mark Carney standing with a UAE-based Canadian photographer during the official engagement in Abu Dhabi.

shkmbz/Instagram

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, created an unforgettable moment during the official visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Abu Dhabi. As the leaders concluded their bilateral discussions on strengthening cooperation in trade, technology, clean energy and security, a UAE-based Canadian photographer was documenting the visit from the press line.

Noticing him, Sheikh Mohamed walked over with a smile, took the photographer’s camera into his own hands, and invited him to stand beside Prime Minister Carney. The President then personally clicked a photograph of the two Canadians together — a gesture that left the photographer visibly moved.

The spontaneous moment quickly became the highlight of the visit, reflecting the UAE President’s characteristic humility and the country’s spirit of hospitality. It added a human touch to a day focused on advancing strategic ties between the UAE and Canada.

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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor

Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.