Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. ARCHIVE

January 4, 2024 marks 18 years since Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the Ruler of Dubai. Over the past 18 years, Sheikh Mohammed has transformed Dubai into a tourism and business hub, hosting events like Expo 2020 and COP28.

Who is Sheikh Mohammed?

Sheikh Mohammed was born in 1949. He is the third son of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan. Sheikh Mohammed's brothers are Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum (1943–2006), Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. His sisters are Sheikha Maryam bint Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikha Hassa bint Rashid Al Maktoum and Shaikha bint Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Mohammed grew up in the Al Maktoum home in Al Shindagha. His grandfather was the late Sheikh Saeed, then Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed was very close to his grandfather and was often seen sitting beside him in the latter’s daily majlis (community gathering) near the entrance to their home. When he was 4 years old, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamid Studies. He attended a primary school in Deira in 1955 at the start of his formal education. He attended Secondary School at the age of 10. At an early age, Sheikh Mohammed was already fond of falconry and horse riding, which he learned from his father. He also loved writing Nabati poetry while he was still at school. His father and the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then President, greatly influenced his development as a poet.

Life in government

When his grandfather, Sheikh Saeed, died on September 9, 1958, Sheikh Mohammed’s father, Sheikh Rashid, became the Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Rashid prepared his four sons for roles in government, and believed that Sheikh Mohammed would be best suited to manage Dubai’s security. So in 1966, Sheikh Mohammed flew to the UK to enroll in the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge. Sheikh Mohammed also attended Mons Officer Cadet School - Aldershot, which is now part of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In six months, he was promoted to Senior Under-Officer of Kohema and was later awarded the sword of honour for achieving the highest mark of any foreign and commonwealth officer cadet. Sheikh Mohammed returned to Dubai in 1968 and was appointed by his father as Head of Dubai Police and Public Security. This was his first public position. Sheikh Rashid also made Sheikh Mohammed his Minister of Defence; making him the world’s youngest defence minister. Sheikh Rashid with 28 year old Sheikh Mohammed in 1977 In 1977, he was appointed the head of the committee to manage the Dubai Airport. Sheikh Mohammed adopted the open skies policy that helped draw tourism into Dubai. During this period, Sheikh Mohammed handled Dubai's oil file. In 1985, he took charge of Jebel Ali Free Zone. When Sheikh Rashid died on October 7, 1990, Sheikh Mohammed’s elder brother, Sheikh Maktoum, became Dubai Ruler. Sheikh Maktoum appointed Sheikh Mohammed as Crown Prince of Dubai on January 3, 1995. On January 4, 2006, Sheikh Mohammed became the Ruler of Dubai following the death of Sheikh Maktoum. The next day, members of the UAE Supreme Council elected Sheikh Mohammed as the Vice-President of the UAE. On February 11, 2006, the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then president, nominated Sheikh Mohammed as Prime Minister, and the nomination was approved by the Council. Under Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai has transformed into the city of the future, with many amazing landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and the Museum of the Future. As the Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed launched ground-breaking initiatives in a record time. His initiatives include Vision 2021, which aims to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world. ICA/Expat Media
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