Harris will also meet with the new President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the Emirates, according to a statement from Harris’ press secretary Kirsten Allen.
“In addition to honoring the memory and legacy of Sheikh Khalifa, the Vice President will underscore the strength of the partnership between our countries and our desire to continue to deepen our relationship in the months and years to come,” Allen said on Saturday.
Both President Joe Biden and Harris recently offered their condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa. Biden called the late UAE leader “a true partner and friend of the United States”.
In a statement congratulating Sheikh Mohammed on his election as President of the United Arab Emirates, Biden said: “The United States is committed to honoring the memory of the late President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan by promoting the strategic partnership between our countries will continue to strengthen in the coming months and years.”
Sheikh Khalifa, whose modernization policies helped turn his country into a regional powerhouse, died on Friday at the age of 73.
Sheikh Mohammed, his brother, was unanimously elected president by the country’s Supreme Council, the UAE’s official news agency (WAM) said. Sheikh Mohamed was widely seen as the UAE’s de facto leader, handling day-to-day affairs for the Gulf state, while Sheikh Khalifa’s role has been largely ceremonial since he suffered a stroke and underwent surgery in 2014.