Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed al-Maktoum, Deputy President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (filephoto)

    ABU DHABI, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed al-Maktoum, Deputy President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), died early morning on Wednesday, the official news agency WAM announced.

    "The (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan announces the death this morning of his highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashed al-Maktoum, vice president of the council of ministers, " a statement issued by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs was quoted as saying.

    However, the statement did not elaborate the cause of the death of Sheikh Maktoum, who is also the ruler of Dubai emirate.

    According to the report, Sheikh Maktoum preferred his younger brother, the globally renowned entrepreneur Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, to succeed him as ruler of Dubai, one of the seven emirates of the UAE federation.

    The UAE government has announced a forty days of national mourning for Sheikh Maktoum, said WAM. Enditem