A significant ruling has been made by the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has issued a federal decree promoting Sheikh Hamdan. Crown Prince of Dubai, Her Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, has also been made General of the UAE Armed Forces.
The appointment is slightly more than 12 months after Sheikh Hamdan entered the federal government and took up his dual positions of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Having attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, one of the oldest and most prestigious military schools, Sheikh Hamdan has become increasingly active in the advancement of the UAE defence strategy in the wake of existing regional and global events.
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During his term in office, he has presided over crucial defence activities. In February 2025, his visit to the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) included meeting with senior defence officials of Kazakhstan and Kuwait to discuss international cooperation, training and coordination.
In March, the holy month of Ramadan, the Sheikh Hamdan joined the national service recruits at Sweihan Training Centre in Abu Dhabi and broke Iftar with them. He commended their discipline and declared that national service is one of the pillars of national unity and national strength.
In two months, Sheikh Hamdan will again visit military units in Al Dhafra Air Base to check their combat readiness, evaluate the outcomes of the combat training and draw attention to the technological achievements of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.