H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, honoured Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha'far for his achievements during his 50-year service at the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

During the ceremony, Sheikh Saif presented the Medal of Loyalty of the First Degree to Lt. General Al Sha’far, in recognition of his distinguished career in the police and security sector.

He also named a meeting hall in the Ministry of Interior after Al Sha'far.

"Ministries and national authorities have depended on the capacities and determination of the first employees of their establishment," Sheikh Saif said, noting that Al Sha'far was a leader of the government action who served the country.

The ceremony included a documentary highlighting the career of Al Sha'far, as well as his pioneering role in modernisation of the Ministry of Interior.

In his speech at the ceremony, Lt. General Al Sha'far stressed that he is honoured to be appreciated by Sheikh Saif, noting that it is also an honouring of all the ministry’s recruits, who are blessed to receive Sheikh Saif’s support as an inspiring leader and have learnt from his giving, hard work, wise vision, determination and ethics.

Al Sha'far graduated from the Police Academy in Cairo and has climbed the police ranks since the start of his professional career in 1969.

He occupied several prominent positions and assumed many professional duties, including as the Director of Ports at the Dubai Police in 1974, the Director of the Coastal Guards in 1977, the Assistant Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Interior in 1993, the Assistant Under-Secretary for Security Affairs in 1996, and the Under-Secretary of the ministry from 2004 to June 2021.

Al Sha'far has also received numerous local, regional and international awards, medals, titles and certificates, in recognition of his achievements and devotion.