Islamabad: The UAE Deputy Prime Ministe/Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday affirmed commitment to strengthen relations with Pakistan in diverse sectors, including trade, investment and aviation.
He held detailed discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, and the two also addressed the media, reported Radio Pakistan.
The UAE deputy premier arrived in Islamabad on Sunday for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening cooperation in energy, trade and security, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in an earlier statement.
The minister expressed satisfaction that the “relationship between the two countries has been growing at a good pace” and especially mentioned that things have been moving faster over the last year or so.
He said leaders and people of both countries want to further develop this relationship, adding that “Pakistan is close to our hearts”.
Deputy Prime Minister Dar said both countries enjoyed age-old fraternal relations, and that there exists love and affection between their peoples. “We are working together for the benefit and welfare of our two nations,” he said.
The deputy PM further said he wished his UAE counterpart’s visit had lasted longer, adding he was aware that Nahyan had other global commitments.
Dar and Sheikh Abdullah also signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs), state-owned Radio Pakistan reported.
Two of the MoUs were for cooperation in the field of culture and the establishment of a joint committee for consular affairs, according to the report.
The third MoU was signed between the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry for the establishment of the UAE-Pakistan Joint Business Council.
Sheikh Abdullah arrived in Pakistan on Sunday evening for a two-day official visit, the Foreign Office (FO) had said in a statement.
The FO had said that the visit would “further cement … longstanding Pakistan-UAE ties and contribute to deepening bilateral engagements in diverse fields, benefitting the peoples of both countries”.
Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, and the UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners in the Middle East and a major source of remittances.
