UAE: According to the latest report published by a study center, “Mohammad bin Zayed”, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi is trying to prepare the ground for his son to succeed by ousting his brother.
The latest study, published by the Center for Gulf Studies in Washington, DC, reveals Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed’s efforts to marginalize his brothers and consolidate the power of his eldest son, Khalid.
The Center for Gulf Studies in Washington, D.C., published an article by Christine Smith, the center’s senior researcher, and wrote: “Let the emirate introduce him as the first option for his successor.”
“The reorganization of government institutions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi over the past few months has underscored the growing and continuing rise to power of Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed, the eldest son of the current UAE ruler, in government positions,” the center noted.
According to the Emirati website Emirates Lex, Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed joined the Abu Dhabi Executive Council in October 2019 as one of the most powerful Abu Dhabi government institutions in the UAE.
Subsequently, in September 2020, Khalid joined the board of the Supreme Council for Finance and Economic Affairs, a newly established board tasked with overseeing the economy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, including the vital oil and gas sector.
Last March, he joined the newly formed council of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in the emirate, which is the state-owned company and the emirate’s main source of wealth.
In addition, Khalid heads the executive branch of the Abu Dhabi Emirate’s two departments of politics and oil, which allows him to gain leadership experience and influence the political and economic aspects of governing the country.
The Center for Gulf Studies in Washington emphasizes: “Increasing the influence and power of Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Behzian, brothers of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE’s previous approach of power-sharing and decision-making is taking place.
As the physical and health condition of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, the ruler of the UAE, deteriorates, Muhammad bin Zayed is expected to be announced as the head of the UAE at any moment.
This is where the dispute over the succession of Muhammad ibn Zayd will take place and who will be suitable for the post; Tahnoon, brother of Muhammad ibn Zayd, or Khalid, his eldest son.
There is a lot of talk about these two personalities, Tahnoon is the second person in the UAE, the head of the country’s intelligence service, the head of the Abu Dhabi Strategic Affairs Committee, the head of companies and commercial institutions such as Al-Qabidah, the most important trading company in the country.
But Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed, in addition to being the head of the government’s security apparatus and the deputy head of the National Security Council, is also the deputy head of Abu Dhabi’s executive office, and Mohammed bin Zayed has been trying to replace him for years.
Currently, in the UAE decision-making circles, there is talk of Mohammad bin Zayed trying to appoint his son as the UAE national security adviser instead of Tahnoon, which in his brother’s view is a coup against him.
However, there is information that indicates the continuous efforts of Muhammad ibn Zayd and his relatives to weaken Tahnoon’s position, which is considered a serious danger to him.
In addition to the power struggle, there is fierce competition between Tahnoon bin Zayed and Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed for economic concessions. In this regard, the Intelligence Online website wrote: “The UAE’s defense armaments (IDAs) have been hit and the structure has been reconsidered and changed.”
According to this website, the power struggle within the Benazid family has stopped some of the most important Edge projects and changed its cadres; As Khalid bin Zayed and Tahnoon compete to oversee the implementation of the UAE’s most important and secret projects in the field of internet, information, and communications.
