Harris will also meet the new president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, according to a statement from Harris’ press secretary Kirsten Allen.
“In addition to honoring the memory and legacy of Sheikh Khalifa, the Vice President will underscore the strength of the partnership between our countries and our desire to further deepen our ties in the months and years to come,” Allen said. Saturday.
In a statement congratulating Sheikh Mohammed on his election as President of the United Arab Emirates, Biden said “the United States is committed to honoring the memory of the late President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan by continuing to strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries over the next few months”. and years.”
Sheikh Khalifa, whose modernization policies helped transform his country into a regional power, died Friday at the age of 73.
Sheikh Mohammed, his brother, was unanimously elected president by the country’s Supreme Federal Council, the official UAE news agency (WAM) reported. Sheikh Mohamed was widely seen as the de facto leader of the UAE, handling the day-to-day affairs of the Gulf state, while Sheikh Khalifa’s role was largely ceremonial since he suffered a stroke and underwent surgery in 2014.