Turkmen President first world leader to visit Burj Khalifa

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, accompanied Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, President of Turkmenistan, when he toured Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.

Accompanied by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Berdymukhammedov ascended to the 126th floor, where he viewed the landmarks of Dubai through a telescope.

The Dubai Crown Prince briefed the Turkmen President about the construction phases of the 828-metre tower.

Berdymukhammedov admired the world's tallest building, being the first President to visit it.

Berdymukhammedov was also accompanied by Dubai Deputy Ruler Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chief Executive of Emirates Group Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the UAE Ambassador to Turkmenistan Hassan Abdullah Al Adab and the Turkmenistan Ambassador to the UAE Gurbannazar Nazarov.

Burj Khalifa, formerly known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper in Dubai, and the tallest man-made structure in the world ever built. The construction began on September 21, 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on October 1, 2009. The building officially opened on January 4, 2010.

The building is part of the 2km flagship development called Downtown Burj Khalifa at the First Interchange along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.

Later Berdymukhammedov left the UAE for Turkmenistan.

Earlier in the day, Berdymukhammedov visited the tomb of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan near the Sheikh Zayed grand mosque in Abu Dhabi.

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