Mansour bin Zayed buys the fourth largest yacht in the world

British media revealed the purchase of Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court in the UAE, the fourth largest yacht in the world, for £500 million.

The Sun reported that the giant yacht Mansour bin Zayed bought is Blue, which includes two helipads to transport guests to and from the beach. It also includes four entertainment floors.

The newspaper pointed out that the yacht also includes 40 cabins to accommodate about 48 guests and a large outdoor area with a club and a swimming pool.

The newspaper added that the yacht accommodates 80 people to drive and provides all services, with a maximum speed of 21.8 miles per hour, noting that the fuel cost to fill the tank for one time is 500,000 pounds.

The prominent member of the ruling family in Abu Dhabi, Mansour bin Zayed, enjoys a reputation tainted globally by the outrageous corruption in which he is involved in all files.

Bloomberg International Agency revealed that Mansour bin Zayed has been managing relations with wealthy Russians who wish to transfer their wealth to the UAE since the attack on Ukraine last February.

Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was famous outside the Emirates for being the owner of the Manchester City club. At home, he is one of the tycoons of money and the economy and an influential member of the Emirati royal family, according to the report of the American agency.

More recently, another role has emerged for him behind the scenes, and this role has become more important in recent months: helping to manage relations with wealthy Russians looking to transfer their money to the UAE, according to several people familiar with Abu Dhabi’s dealings with the Russians, who requested anonymity for the confidentiality of information.

Mansour bin Zayed has long been involved in developing Emirati-Russian relations. According to the sources, the importance and complexities of his position began to increase since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Despite the new financial restrictions imposed by Washington, the European Union and other countries on Russia, which makes it the most sanctioned country in the world, the UAE has not imposed any restrictions on it.

But this approach has alarmed some Western officials concerned about loopholes in their sanctions programs.

Earlier this month, US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, expressed Washington’s concerns about Russian business tycoons transferring their assets to the UAE, during a phone call with Emirati officials earlier this month, according to two people familiar with the deliberations.

Meanwhile, many prominent government officials, wealthy businessmen, and Russian executives are communicating with Mansour bin Zayed and his office to assist them in Emirati government transactions, according to several people familiar with the matter.

The sources also added that Russians’ interest in investing in the Middle Eastern country has increased in the wake of the attack on Ukraine, with some shopping for apartments in Dubai. In contrast, others want to buy luxury cars or need help opening bank accounts and financial companies.

The sources added that the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, led by Sheikh Mansour, provided greater aid to those wealthy people since the beginning of the attack.

According to several people familiar with the matter, Emirati officials see Mansour bin Zayed’s efforts as part of the government’s broader strategy to attract global companies and maintain strategic ties with the East and West.

There is no doubt that Russian-Emirati relations are of particular importance given their cooperation within the scope of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries, according to the sources.

Mansour bin Zayed, 51, is considered one of the most influential members of the royal family in the country, as he is the brother of the de facto ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and National Security Adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed.

He accompanied Mohammed bin Zayed to various meetings with Russian companies before the attack on Ukraine. He was also present in 2019 when Mohammed bin Zayed met with Putin in Abu Dhabi.

But the sources made it clear that Mohammed bin Zayed remains the source of final decisions in high-level diplomatic relations with Putin and the Russians.

In addition to being a wealthy billionaire, Mansour bin Zayed is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of the UAE.

According to Global SWF data, he is also on the boards of several other companies, such as state oil giant ADNOC and the sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which oversees assets of more than $800 billion.

It is considered a sponsor of sports in the country, supporting various popular events from football to horse racing and long-distance running. Manchester City FC returned to the forefront of the spotlight and won many titles since its acquisition by Sheikh Mansour in 2008 to become one of the most important castles of world football.