DUBAI: Sultan Al-Neyadi, the UAE astronaut, has been appointed as the Minister of Youth in a cabinet reshuffle, as announced by UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum on Saturday.
Acknowledging Al-Neyadi’s significant contributions to both the military and space sectors, Sheikh Mohammed noted that the astronaut has also made valuable contributions to humanity in the scientific field.
نعلن عن تعيين سلطان النيادي وزير دولة للشباب في دولة الإمارات .
سلطان رائد فضاء .. وحاصل على الدكتوراة .. وخدم بلاده في السلك العسكري وفي قطاع الفضاء.. وخدم البشرية في المجال العلمي .. وأول عربي يمشي في الفضاء وأول عربي يقضي أطول مهمة فضائية عربية لمدة ٦ أشهر .. وهو من أقرب… pic.twitter.com/PcqfDaP968— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) January 6, 2024
The selection process, according to Sheikh Mohammed, included public nominations, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in the decision-making process. Al-Neyadi, who was the first Arab astronaut to spend six months on the International Space Station, will continue to carry out his scientific and space duties alongside his new responsibilities as the Minister of Youth.
During his tenure on the International Space Station, Al-Neyadi conducted over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations. He collaborated with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission, which launched on March 2, 2023, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
