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At one stage a young commander-in-chief of the UAE Armed Forces, and later – as one of his  father's favourite sons – accumulating a number of big jobs, Sultan Bin Zayed had a spotty reputation and dropped out of the limelight in his later years.

Sheikh Shakbut was appointed a state minister in foreign affairs in early 2021 and is particularly focused on relations with African countries - which gives a commercial slant to his diplomatic role.

Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who died in May 2022, lived through a period of extraordinary change for his country. Born at a time when pre-oil Abu Dhabi was relatively isolated and under British protection, as head of state from 2004 until 2022, Khalifa played a key role in the UAE’s emergence on the regional and world stage – while being progressively replaced in decision-making by his half-brothers, led by Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan, a grand-daughter of the late President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, has become prominent on environmental issues. This places her in a topical and controversial area following the UAE's hosting of the COP28 summit in November 2023, where it promoted an agenda that was opposed by many climate activists.

Sheikh Zayed was sworn in as the UAE’s ambassador to Qatar in August 2023, two-and-a-half years after the end of the boycott of Qatar by its neighbours.

A deal between Abu Dhabi giant Adnoc and UK major BP to co-invest in Egyptian gas assets highlights how wealthy Gulf national oil companies are seeking lower-carbon expansion opportunities across Africa, with actors from Qatar and Kuwait also among those on the hunt.

The merger of Abu Dhabi-listed Bayanat AI and satellite operator Yahsat to form Space42 is set to go ahead, with the UAE national security adviser holding 50% of the combined group. Another vehicle in Tahnoun Bin Zayed’s stable, Group 42, is setting up an AI investment company with Mubadala called MGX

Faisal Bin Sultan Al-Qassimi has handed the chairmanship of the bank he set up in 1975 to his son Mohammed Bin Faisal

The Alpha Dhabi investment vehicle owned by UAE national security advisor Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed has transferred three of its hotel subsidiaries to NCTH in return for shares which will give it a majority stake in the enlarged hospitality group

Bahrain’s ambassador to the UAE Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa held meetings with rulers and crown princes in the five northern emirates over a four-day period in mid-March

Two of Dubai’s larger real estate developers, Nakheel and Meydan, are being handed over to Dubai Holding, the investment group owned by the emirate’s Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum

In a further accumulation of jobs in the ruling family, President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed has named his daughter Mariam as deputy chair of the Presidential Court for National Projects while his son Theyab has a new senior role at the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs

Kuwait's recently-appointed emir travelled to the UAE in early March, following on from trips to the other members of the Gulf Co-operation Council in the opening months of the year

Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum reshuffled the top team at the Dubai's State Security Department via a series of decrees in early March

Critics say the trial of 84 people on terrorism charges amounts to the defendants being retried on the same charges they were previously convicted of a decade earlier