ISLAMABAD: A team of economic experts from the United Arab Emirates is due to arrive in Pakistan tomorrow to discuss the implementation of decisions taken by the top leaders of the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went to the Gulf state over the weekend after completing his three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and performed Umrah.
During his stay in the UAE, Sharif met Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and held extensive consultations on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
The two leaders agreed to further consolidate bilateral trade and economic cooperation and decided to build partnerships in areas encompassing investment, economic development, energy, infrastructure and agriculture.
“An economic team will arrive for the implementation of decisions taken by the leadership of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates,” said an official statement circulated by the PM Office on Monday. “The UAE delegation will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on May 3.”
The statement added the economic delegation from the Gulf country would interact with experts assisting the prime minister.
They will also deliberate on recommendations to accelerate the pace of economic activities between the two countries.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will host a dinner in honor of the delegation,” the statement added. “The meetings will focus on economic, trade and investment promotion between the two countries. The delegation will also be briefed on the investment climate and policy in Pakistan. Apart from that, cooperation in the fields of energy, economics and petroleum industry will be discussed.”
The Pakistani PM and the Abu Dhabi crown prince agreed to remain in regular contact with each other on all issues of mutual interest as well as coordinate positions at multilateral forums including the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation during their recent meeting.
“The Crown Prince assured the Prime Minister about making effective moves toward strengthening closer bilateral fraternal ties for the benefit of future generations of the two countries,” an earlier statement from the PM Office informed. “He acknowledged with gratitude the constructive role played by Pakistanis in the development of the UAE when others had limited presence and contribution.”
The UAE royal also maintained that the two countries had always stood with each other during good and bad times, adding they would “continue to extend support to each other in future.”
The prime minister praised the UAE for launching humanitarian projects in his country under the UAE-Pakistan Assistance Program and extending crucial support to Islamabad during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sharif also thanked the Abu Dhabi crown prince for hosting 1.7 million Pakistanis with honor and dignity, saying they were not only a bridge between Pakistan and the UAE but also a source of pride for his country.
