KARACHI/MOSCOW: Russia Today TV (RT) has named Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan as the Arab world's most influential leader of 2019.
Also the deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Armed Forces, Prince Zayed's advocacy of tolerance, peace-making, and human fraternity were highlighted in the RT poll. He bagged 9.74 million votes (68.6 percent) of the total 14 million.
Alongside Abu Dhabi's crown prince, the list also comprised Jordan's King Abdullah II, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Algeria's newly-elected president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Tunisia's new president, Kais Saied.
Also read: PM Imran speaks to UAE Crown Prince over IoK situation
Prince Zayed is known for his contribution to peace and tolerance as well as mediating a number of crises, as per Gulf News. The publication added that he personally attempted to ease tensions between Pakistan and India last year.
"Among these initiatives is his patronage of the Human Fraternity Document that was signed on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi," it said.
Separately, Abu Dhabi's crown prince is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Thursday for a day-long visit and is scheduled to hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior government officials. The trip will focus on strengthening "the bonds of friendship between the two brotherly countries", according to a statement from a UAE envoy.
Read more: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to visit Pakistan tomorrow
Prince Zayed's visit comes shortly after he met Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on December 14, when the two discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had visited Pakistan for one-on-one meetings with PM Imran, followed by delegation-level talks. This is also the second visit by an Arab leader in just two weeks, as Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud visited Pakistan for a day-long trip last month.
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