One foreign head of state loves the UAE so much he may be planning to make it a second home for him and his family.
Leaked emails allegedly from the President of South Africa Jacob Zuma to Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed reveal the foreign leader's fondness for the UAE, according to News 24.
“I fondly remember our meeting in the UAE and the gracious hospitality and warmth extended to me during my visit," Zuma writes in an email. "It is with this sentiment that I am happy to inform you that my family has decided to make the UAE a second home. It will be a great honor for me and my family to gain your patronage during our proposed residency in the UAE."
A spokesperson has denied the authenticity of the leaked emails, calling them fabrications.
Over the past few months, Zuma has been embroiled in a series of corruption scandals and cabinet sackings. Opponents also accuse him of mismanaging South Africa's economy, according to the BBC.
On Sunday, senior members of Zuma's government tabled a motion of no confidence against him at a closed-door meeting. The meeting's chairman blocked the motion because it was not on the official agenda.
The leaked emails are allegedly linked to the controversial South African millionaire Gupta family. According to reports, the elite business family wields strong influence over the president.
This isn't the first time rumors have circulated about Zuma possibly seeking a new home in the UAE. Last year, Julius Sello Malema, leader of rival party Economic Freedom Fighters suggested that Zuma was seeking asylum in Dubai.
He said there were "unconfirmed reports that Zuma wants to leave the country and seek asylum in Dubai because he doesn’t feel safe in his country," according to The Telegraph.