ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed Pakistan’s strong desire to elevate its “excellent political ties” with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into a “mutually beneficial economic partnership,” according to an official statement from the PM’s Office.
The remarks were made during a meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders discussed regional developments and global issues of mutual interest.
During Sheikh Abdullah’s visit, Pakistan and the UAE signed several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at further strengthening ties between the two nations and promoting collaboration among their business communities.
The UAE and Pakistan enjoy longstanding bilateral relations, with millions of Pakistanis working in the Gulf state, significantly contributing to the economies of both countries. In recent years, the UAE has emerged as one of the key nations that extended financial support to Pakistan during times of economic hardship.
The handout from the PM’s Office stated that Shehbaz reaffirmed the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and the UAE built on shared history, mutual respect and strong cultural and economic linkages.
It said that Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed his warm greetings to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE, and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, and appreciated the UAE’s continued support for Pakistan in diverse sectors.
Expressing satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation, the prime minister emphasised enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people contacts.
On the occasion, Sheikh Abdullah Al Nahyan appreciated the contributions of the Pakistani community in the UAE and reiterated his country’s resolve to deepen bilateral ties and explore new avenues for collaboration, the handout stated.
Meanwhile, he affirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthen relations with Pakistan in diverse sectors, including trade, investment and aviation, during his formal talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Sheikh Abdullah expressed satisfaction that the relationship between the two countries had been growing. He especially mentioned that “things have been moving faster” over the last one year or so. He said leaders and peoples of both the countries wanted to further develop this relationship. “Pakistan is close to our hearts,” he remarked.
In his remarks, Dar said that both the countries had age-old fraternal relations, and that there existed love and affection between their peoples. He said: “We are working together for the benefit and welfare of our two nations.”
After the delegation-level talks, the two foreign ministers signed MoUs on cultural cooperation and the establishment of the Joint Committee for Consular Affairs. They also witnessed the exchange of MoU on the establishment of the UAE-Pakistan Joint Business Council.
Rwandan FM
Pakistan and Rwanda agreed to deepen their cooperation in areas of trade, investment, defence, diplomacy, and people to people exchanges during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Dar and visiting Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe.
The two sides held in-depth discussions covering the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. Later addressing a joint press stakeout, Dar said their talks focused on strengthening existing ties and exploring new avenues of cooperation.
Dar said the two sides have also signed an MoU in the field of diplomatic training. He added that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Rwanda. He said Rwandan High Commission in Islamabad was also being inaugurated during the visit of the Rwandan foreign minister.
Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan offered a promising market for Rwandan products. He highlighted that Pakistan’s globally-recognised exports such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, surgical instruments, agri tech and sports goods had strong potential in Rwanda’s rapidly growing economy.
He mentioned that there was a great potential of collaboration in the field of information and communication technology. He said that Pakistan was keen to partner in areas such as digital transformation, e-governance, fintech and innovation platforms for the youth.
On the multilateral front, the deputy prime minister said, “our cooperation remains robust”. He mentioned that both the countries regularly supported each other’s candidature at the UN and other international fora.
The Rwandan Foreign Minister said that Pakistan and Rwanda shared a commitment to world peace. He noted that both countries were among the top five troop contributing nations to the UN peacekeeping missions. He added that they shared a common desire to work together in various sectors.
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