President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan left his country on Wednesday on a “private” foreign visit, the third of its kind since the UAE announced in January 2014 that he suffered from “thrombosis”.
The UAE announced in 2014 that Khalifa suffered from “thrombosis” but received medical care inside the country, which he only left in 2016 for the first time after his illness. At that time, the destination of Khalifa’s foreign trip which lasted three months, was not also declared.
Khalifa left the Emirates for the second time after his illness earlier this year in 2017 on a “private visit” that lasted for a week.
According to Watan news website, there are indicators about the willingness of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces to assume power in the country.
Some activists on social networking sites expected that Mohammed Bin Zayed may seize power faster than expected by deposing Sheikh Khalifa for health reasons.
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 69 years, came to power in 2004 after the death of his father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
