Abu Dhabi Crown Prince named Arab world's most influential leader of 2019

KARACHI/MOSCOW: Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan has been named the Arab world's most influential leader of 2019 by Russia Today TV (RT), Middle Eastern media reported.

Prince Zayed, who is also the deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Armed Forces, was noted for his advocacy of tolerance, peace-making, and human fraternity. Of the total 14 million votes, he bagged 9.74 million (68.6 percent).

Also on the list were Jordan's King Abdullah II, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Algeria's newly-elected president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Tunisia's new president, Kais Saied.

Also read: PM Imran speaks to UAE Crown Prince over IoK situation

Prince Zayed is known for his contribution to peace and tolerance as well as mediating a number of crises, as per Gulf News. The publication added that he personally attempted to ease tensions between Pakistan and India last year.

"Among these initiatives is his patronage of the Human Fraternity Document that was signed on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi," it said.

Crown Prince to visit Pakistan

Separately, Abu Dhabi's crown prince is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Thursday for a day-long visit and is scheduled to hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior government officials.

The trip will focus on strengthening "the bonds of friendship between the two brotherly countries", according to a statement from a UAE envoy. This is the second visit to the country by an Arab leader in two weeks, as Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud visited Pakistan for a day-long trip last month.

Read more: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to visit Pakistan tomorrow

Prince Zayed's visit comes shortly after he met Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on December 14, when the two discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

Last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had visited Pakistan for one-on-one meetings with PM Imran, followed by delegation-level talks.

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