United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan died on Friday at his age of 73. UAE the state-owned news organization WAM said.

The mourning period begins immediately for 40 days. During this time, flags will be flying at half-mast The Presidential Affairs Ministry said, according to WAM. The work of government ministries and departments on both local and federal levels and those in the private sector will be suspend for three days immediately.

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Khalifa Bin Zayed is the daughter of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE. As the 16th Emir of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE He has been the head of the nation since 2004 when he was elected as the first president, the second time in the history of the UAE. He has served in this role for more than 17 years.

In his tenure as the UAE’s chief, Khalifa bin Zayed has been instrumental in transforming his country’s UAE into a flourishing regional power and major tech and business hub. Under his direction that the UAE restored relations with Israel as part of an historic Abraham Accords.

However, in 2014 the man suffered a stroke although he was stable, the majority of the power was transferred to the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his half-brother.