Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan (Arabic: نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان; born 1951) is an Emirati royal and politician, who currently serves as the minister of tolerance of the United Arab Emirates.[2][3][4] Al Nahyan previously served as the minister of culture and the minister of higher education.
Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan | |
|---|---|
نهيان بن مبارك آل نهيان | |
 | |
| Minister of Tolerance | |
| Assumed office 20 October 2017 | |
| President | |
| Prime Minister | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
| Preceded by | Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi |
| Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development[1] | |
| In office 12 March 2013 – 20 October 2017 | |
| President | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan |
| Prime Minister | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum |
| Preceded by | Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais |
| Succeeded by | Noura Al Kaabi |
| Minister of Higher Education | |
| In office 26 January 1992 – 12 March 2013 | |
| President | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Post established |
| Succeeded by | Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan |
| Chancellor of United Arab Emirates University[1] | |
| In office 1983–2013 | |
| Chancellor of Higher Colleges of Technology[1] | |
| In office 1988–2013 | |
| Chancellor of Zayed University[1] | |
| In office 1998–2013 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1951 (age 72–73) |
| Relatives |
|
Biography
He is the son of Mubarak bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, grandson of Mohammad bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, great-grandson of Khalifa bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, and great-great-grandson of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works, is his brother. Sheikh Nahyan was also Chancellor of two of the UAE's three government-sponsored institutions of higher learning: United Arab Emirates University, established in 1976, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, established in 1988; and president of the third, Zayed University, established in 1998 until removed from these positions in April 2013.[5]
Prior to 12 March 2013, he headed the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.[6] He is also the chairman of CERT (Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training), the commercial arm of the Higher Colleges of Technology, established in 1996. For several years, Sheikh Nahyan has been the sponsor of the Emirates Natural History Group with chapters in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.[7] One of the two awards presented annually by the Abu Dhabi chapter is the Sh. Mubarak Award, named for Sheikh Nahyan's father.[8]
He is chairman of Sandooq al Watan, a social initiative.[9] Since 2021, Sheikh Nahyan holds the honorary degree of Doctor of Social Sciences by the University of Balamand.[10]
As Minister of State for Tolerance
On 17 October 2020, a curator of Hay’s Literary Festival, Caitlin McNamara, accused Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan of sexually assaulting her on 14 February 2020, 11 days before the launch of festival.[11] According to McNamara, Al Nahyan invited her to an official dinner to discuss the Hay festival. However, according to McNamara Al Nahyan called her at a remote villa on a private island and sexually assaulted her. Al Nahyan has denied the sex assault allegations.[12][13]
Investments
Nahyan was Chairman of Warid Telecom International (a regional telecoms group based out of Abu Dhabi with operations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda, Congo Brazzaville, and Ivory Coast). He is also chairman of the Abu Dhabi Group, Union National Bank, and United Bank Limited.
Pakistan
Nahyan has taken a keen interest in Pakistan–United Arab Emirates relations. He is one of two Emirati royals, that own estate with a personal game reserve near the mouth of the Indus River in Sindh Province used for falconeering and hunting; the other royal being the late Sheikh Zayed. Nahyan's Abu Dhabi United Group is a large investor in Pakistan. It owns Bank Alfalah, Warid Telecom, Wateen Telecom, Taavun and many more in Pakistan. He is also Founder Chairman of Bank Alfalah.
Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan is also recipient of Pakistan's highest civilian award, the Hilal-e-Pakistan, which was conferred upon him by the President of Pakistan in 2005.
Georgia
In Georgia, Nahyan invested in Kor Standard Bank (now Terabank) and Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi.[14]
Controversy
In April 2021, a British woman (Ms. McNamara, 32) claimed that she was sexually assaulted by accused Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.[15] She claimed that she allegedly suffered at the hands of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan on 14 February 2020 at a private residence in Abu Dhabi.[16][17] The Crown Prosecution Service said it could not bring charges because the alleged offence happened abroad.[18][19]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Members Of The Cabinet – Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan". uaecabinet.ae.
- ^ "New-look UAE cabinet sworn in by Sheikh Khalifa". The National. 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
- ^ "Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan". Pearl Initiative. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "The UAE and the Consolidation of a Culture of Tolerance and Coexistence Locally and Globally". Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
- ^ "UAE Higher-Education Power Shifts: Phase 2". Al Fanar. 16 Apr 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ Biography of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan.
- ^ Emirates Natural History Group.
- ^ "British woman to sue UAE royal she accuses of sexual assault for damages". the Guardian. 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Our Board". Sandooq Al Watan.
- ^ "Post by Antioch Patriarchate". Facebook. 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
- ^ "H. E. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan » Who's Who – WASD". wasd.org.uk.
- ^ Lamb, Christina; Gadher, Dipesh (17 October 2020). "Gulf minister of tolerance in 'sex assault' on Hay books festival worker". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 20 March 2021.(subscription required)
- ^ McNamara, Caitlin (20 March 2021). "'Until the law catches up, all we have is our stories': my year-long fight to hold my attacker to account". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "Biltmore Hotel Tbilisi: Georgia's most luxurious hotel opens with impressive display". agenda.ge. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
- ^ "Hay Festival severs UAE ties after sex assault claim by employee". BBC. 18 October 2020.
- ^ Nsubuga, Jimmy (18 October 2020). "UAE minister of tolerance accused of sexual assault by British festival worker". Metro.
- ^ "British woman to sue UAE royal she accuses of sexual assault for damages". the Guardian. 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Hay Festival: UAE minister will face no charges after sex assault claim". BBC News. 29 October 2020.
- ^ "Sheikh denies sexual assault claim after UK literary festival vows not to return to Abu Dhabi". Sky News.