HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan became the President of the UAE after his brother, Sheikh Khalifa, passed away in May 2022. He is the third son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the widely respected first President of the UAE who ruled from independence in 1971 until his death in 2004.

Military Leadership: Sheikh Mohamed has transformed the military capabilities of the UAE not only through buying military hardware (over 80 F-16 jets), but also by developing the UAE’s own military industry, both in terms of hardware and special forces. All of these have also been deployed in various conflicts, including Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. The UAE is an important centre for global weapons trading, hosting the world’s largest defence expos.

Global Player: Sheikh Mohamed has enjoyed excellent personal relationships with previous US presidents, managing to have his views heard on Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, Palestine, and the support of a young Saudi prince. Further, Sheikh Mohamed has shown that he is his own man by following policies that the US does not support publicly: the support of Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, the blockade on Qatar, and the UAE’s involvement in Sudan. Involvement in other key issues shows that the UAE is punching above its weight in international affairs.

Abraham Accords: The UAE (along with Bahrain) normalised relations with Israel by signing the Abraham Accords at the White House in September 2020 with the Israeli Prime Minister and American President Donald Trump in attendance. An Israeli embassy was opened in Abu Dhabi in July 2021 with the President of Israel attending the ceremony. The UAE continues to push ahead with a full normalisation strategy which has outraged Palestinians and their supporters.

Deepening UAE–India Strategic Partnership: During a major working visit to New Delhi on 19 January 2026, Sheikh Mohamed met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fundamentally scale their bilateral relations. The two leaders co-signed landmark defense, science, and energy cooperation frameworks, agreeing to significantly broaden collaboration across space exploration, civil nuclear energy, advanced computing, and food security infrastructure. Building upon the initial success of their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), India and the UAE established an ambitious new target to double bilateral trade to US$200 billion by 2032.

Economic Power: The UAE’s state-owned investors collectively manage US$2.93 trillion in assets, ranking the country fourth globally among state investors. This ecosystem includes the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), which independently manages over US$1.18 trillion, alongside Mubadala (US$385 billion) and the newly restructured LIMAD entity. This fiscal power has backed massive domestic construction booms, commercial entertainment parks, and world-class cultural franchises including the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

Sustainable Development and Conservationist: Sheikh Mohamed has been a champion of sustainable development in Abu Dhabi as an advocate for the implementation of green technologies. He pledged $15 billion for the development of clean energy through solar, wind and hydrogen power. He is also a keen falconer and is committed to protecting falcons and other species in the region. Abu Dhabi is home to the world’s largest falcon hospital, a specialist institution dedicated to the treatment, rehabilitation and conservation of falcons.

Philanthropy and Tolerance: The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2021; it has given over AED 150 billion in development funding and investments in 97 countries. The UAE is home to a diverse workforce and has been keen to show respect to other religions and cultures. It has allowed various houses of worship to be built, and three synagogues have already been completed and in 2023, the Abrahamic Family House was inaugurated. Encompassing a mosque, a church, a synagogue and a forum for gathering and dialogue, this space welcomes people from all walks of life to exchange knowledge and practice their faith.

The Gaza Genocide: The United Arab Emirates has accused Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza and has warned that any annexation of the West Bank would endanger the Abraham Accords. It is committed to a two-state solution and has contributed to medical, food, and infrastructure support, while diplomatic channels have been leveraged to reduce hostilities and protect civilians.

"Our nation will continue to invest heavily in science, knowledge, and technology as the primary drivers of our future economic transition."

$1.40 trillion in sovereign holdings.

7 emirates in the United Arab Emirates