BBC Radio 4 Last Word: Sheikh Khalifa

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. He was heir to one of the wealthiest monarchies in the world as the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and first President of the UAE. He played a pivotal role in the development and modernization of the country. Sheikh Khalifa served as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi until he ascended to the presidency following the passing of his father. He passed away on May 13, 2022.

I pitched covering his death to BBC Radio 4’s Last Word and booked Sameer Hashmi, the BBC’s Middle East Business Correspondent based in Dubai, UAE.