President Sheikh Mohamed has received multiple messages of congratulations following the series of key appointments he made on Wednesday evening. Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed has received multiple messages of congratulations following the series of key appointments he made on Wednesday evening. Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed has received multiple messages of congratulations following the series of key appointments he made on Wednesday evening. Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed has received multiple messages of congratulations following the series of key appointments he made on Wednesday evening. Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court

Regional leaders congratulate President Sheikh Mohamed on appointments


  • English
  • Arabic

International leaders have delivered messages of congratulations to President Sheikh Mohamed after he named Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed as Vice President and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening.

The decision will mean Sheikh Mansour will serve alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

In his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed named Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed as Deputy Rulers of Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Tamim, the Emir of Qatar, said he hoped the decisions will provide a “strong impetus for the country's development”, state news agency Wam reported.

Sheikh Mohamed offered his thanks to Sheikh Tamim and called for the continued progress and development of Qatar.

Sheikh Tamim recently hosted Sheikh Mansour and Sheikh Tahnoun in Doha.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman expressed "heartfelt congratulations" and wished for the success of the President and "further progress and prosperity for the UAE", the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The monarch stressed the deep brotherly relations between the Gulf neighbours.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message.

Sheikh Mohamed received a cable from Bahrain's King Hamad who wished the UAE continued progress and prosperity.

Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, sent his good wishes.

Sultan Haitham of Oman congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on the appointments he has made in the UAE and Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Mohamed received a phone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who congratulated him.

The UAE President also received calls from Abdul Fattah El Sisi, Egypt's President and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif backed the appointments in messages shared on social media.

“Heartfelt felicitations from the people and the government of Pakistan on the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Vice President of the UAE,” Mr Sharif wrote on Twitter.

“May this new chapter be filled with success and prosperity for the UAE and its people.

“Congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his appointment as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

“As a brotherly country, we look forward to continuing our strong partnership and working together towards a brighter future for our people and the region.”

Sheikh Mohamed makes key appointments — in pictures

  • President Sheikh Mohamed appointed Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, as Vice President. All photos: Wam
    President Sheikh Mohamed appointed Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, as Vice President. All photos: Wam
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed was named Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed was named Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, National Security Adviser, was made Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, National Security Adviser, was made Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi
  • Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed will become Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed will become Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Fixtures

Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11

August 9

Liverpool v Norwich 11pm

August 10

West Ham v Man City 3.30pm

Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm

Burnley v Southampton 6pm

C Palace v Everton 6pm

Leicester v Wolves 6pm

Watford v Brighton 6pm

Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm

August 11

Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm

Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm

 

Bawaal%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nitesh%20Tiwari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Varun%20Dhawan%2C%20Janhvi%20Kapoor%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

At Eternity’s Gate

Director: Julian Schnabel

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen

Three stars

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: March 30, 2023, 10:07 PM