Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was unanimously elected as the new president of the United Arab Emirates. The appointment comes a day after the death of Khalifa bin Zayed, the half-brother of the former president. He passed away yesterday at the age of 73.

The Federal Supreme Council, made up of the seven emirates’ kings, appointed 61-year-old Mohammed bin Zayed at a meeting at the Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi, according to reports. State news agency WAM†

“We congratulate him and swear allegiance to him as our people do,” said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the country’s vice president and prime minister. Bin Zayed expressed his gratitude for the confidence he enjoys from the Supreme Court.

In fact, MBZ has been in power for some time because the former president was ill for some time. His half-brother had a stroke in 2014. Since then, he has rarely appeared in public.

Under the leadership of Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE in recent years has strengthened its relations with Israel and strengthened its military power. The UAE has been involved in the war in Yemen since 2015, as a member of the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in the country after Houthi rebels seized power in the capital, Sanaa.