The United Arab Emirates (UAE) President, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been confirmed to have passed on at the age of 73 in the country.
As gathered, the deceased was said to have passed on after a brief illness and would be laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites on Friday.
Death of the president, who was commended for sustaining the development of the middle-east country, was confirmed by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
The ministry added that there would be 40 days of official mourning with flags at half mast to signify that the country has lost a president that was passionate about the country’s development.
According to the ministry, there will be a three-day closure of ministries and other official engagements at both federal and local levels as well as the private sector across the country.
Under the country’s constitution, the vice-president and premier, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, would act as president, to avoid any leadership vacuum across the country.
Al Maktoum would cease to perform that role when the federal council, a groups of rulers for the seven emirates, meets within 30 days to elect a new president for the country.
