Pakistan, UAE to set up joint business council

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed two agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing collaboration across various sectors.

The development was announced following a high-level meeting in Islamabad between UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was on a two-day visit to Pakistan. According to the UAE’s official news agency, WAM, the agreements include the establishment of a Joint Consular Affairs Committee and a commitment to bolster cultural cooperation between the two nations.

Moreover, an MoU was exchanged to establish a UAE-Pakistan Joint Business Council, which is expected to promote economic and trade partnerships.

The MoU for the business council was exchanged between UAE Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri and Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Atif Ikram Sheikh.

The meeting was attended by prominent officials, including UAE Minister of State Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Assistant Minister for Energy and Sustainability Abdulla Balalaa, and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi.

Sheikh Abdullah expressed his commitment to further enhancing UAE-Pakistan relations, emphasising the importance of joint efforts to support the developmental priorities of both countries.

“The UAE and Pakistan share a long-standing friendship, and we are dedicated to exploring opportunities for cooperation across various fields,” he stated.

The UAE DPM said he was pleased with the hospitality extended during his visit to Pakistan — “a country which is close to our hearts in the UAE and also to my heart personally.”

Expressing satisfaction with the current pace of bilateral relations, he said the leadership of both countries was keen to further strengthen the relationship.

Earlier, Al Nayhan addressed a joint press conference with Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar, who is also the foreign minister.

“I must say that our relationship has been growing on a good pace,” Al Nayhan said. “I think both our leaders, the people of Pakistan and the UAE do want to see more development in the relationship.”

According to Arab News, the UAE deputy prime minister said relations between the two countries, over the past few years, have been “moving faster than they have for a while.”

“And I really look forward that the good spirit that has been moving the relationship in the last few months would continue on so many different cycles, if it’s trade, investment, aviation,” Al Nayhan added.

Earlier, welcoming the UAE deputy prime minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPM Dar said the two countries shared a decades-old fraternal relationship rooted in mutual commitment, love, and affection.

He added that both countries were working together for the benefit and welfare of their people. The UAE DPM also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House.

During the meeting, Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s strong desire to elevate the excellent political ties between Pakistan and the UAE to a mutually beneficial economic partnership.

The meeting was also attended by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir. He reaffirmed the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and the UAE, built on shared history, mutual respect, as well as strong cultural and economic linkages.

He conveyed his warm greetings to UAE President and ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and appreciated the UAE’s continued support for Pakistan in diverse sectors.

While expressing satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, PM Shehbaz emphasised the need to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people contacts.

In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation and global developments also came under discussion during the meeting.

Sheikh Abdullah and PM Shehbaz explored prospects for further cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including economy, trade, investment, and development, aimed at advancing mutual interests and promoting shared prosperity for their peoples.

During the meeting, the UAE top diplomat expressed his pride in visiting Pakistan, which shares with the UAE a deep-rooted and evolving historical relations.

He reiterated that both countries share a strong mutual will and commitment to further strengthen this distinguished partnership and enhance bilateral cooperation across various sectors, in a way that supports their development goals and brings prosperity and progress to their peoples.

He also extended his gratitude to the prime minister for the warm welcome and hospitality, and conveyed his best wishes for Pakistan’s continued growth and prosperity.

The two sides also discussed several regional and international issues of joint interest and exchanged views on current developments.

From UAE side, the meeting was attended by Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs; Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, and Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi.

Sheikh Abdullah’s visit comes after Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Pakistan in February, during which the two countries signed five agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, including banking, railways, mining and infrastructural investment.

The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment, with over $10 billion invested in the last two decades. Approximately 1.8 million Pakistanis reside in the UAE, forming the second largest expatriate group there. Pakistanis contribute significantly to the UAE’s economy and are seen as a source of livelihood for many families in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, chairing a special meeting on matters related to overseas Pakistanis, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the government was striving to resolve the issues of overseas Pakistanis on a priority basis and working to provide them more facilities.

He said the overseas Pakistanis would be given opportunities of investment in Pakistan according to their expertise.

Overseas Pakistanis played the role of ambassadors of Pakistan in the outside world, he said, adding overseas Pakistanis rendered great services for Pakistan.

The prime minister said a large number of overseas Pakistanis attended the recently-held overseas convention, which showed their trust in the policies of the government.

“We salute the true sentiments of overseas Pakistanis and their love and sacrifices for their country,” he said, adding the overseas Pakistanis had made a name for themselves and their country by working diligently all across the world.

The prime minister said expatriates worked day and night as professionals in the fields of medicine, education, engineering, and consultancy, and earned legitimately.

The Government of Pakistan recently in recognition of the services of overseas Pakistanis gave a big incentives package, he continued.

Shehbaz said those overseas Pakistanis who performed prominently in different fields and those who sent the highest remittances through the State Bank would be given civil awards in view of their services.

The meeting was briefed on the progress regarding the facilities announced by the government and the strategy to implement them.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir, federal ministers and relevant officials attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the 9.3 percent increase in the exports of Pakistan’s textile sector from July 2024 to March this year.

“The textile sector’s exports have reached a record high of $13.613 billion, which is highly encouraging. The 6.27 percent increase in textile exports in March compared to the previous month reflects the positive direction of Pakistan’s economic growth and government policies,” he said.

He said that the collaboration and tireless efforts of the government and the private sector led to the gradual increase in exports and other positive economic indicators.

The prime minister said that the government was working day and night to accelerate the development process further.

He said that the government was striving to provide a business-friendly environment to the private sector to ensure consistent growth in national exports.

Separately, the prime minister welcomed resumption of direct PIA flights between Lahore and Baku, calling it a significant milestone for tourism and regional connectivity between both countries.

“I warmly welcome the resumption of PIA’s direct flights between Lahore and Baku after a hiatus of two years, a significant milestone for tourism and regional connectivity between our brotherly countries,” the prime minister wrote on his X timeline.

He said that the inaugural flight, captained by Shahida Ismail, was also a proud reminder that Pakistani women continued to excel in all fields, including aviation.

He said that his government remained committed to achieving greater milestones in the fraternal ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan as bilateral cooperation was strengthening across sectors.

The prime minister also commended Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif and his entire team for their efforts in advancing the country’s aviation linkages.

The resumption of direct flight between Lahore and Baku was inaugurated on Sunday at a ceremony attended by the aviation minister and Azerbaijan Ambassador Khazar Farhadov.

“Today’s the big day, we’re flying to Baku! A new chapter begins. Long-Live Pak-Azerbaijan friendship,” the airline said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the prime minister would be visiting Ankara, Turkiye, today (Tuesday). During the visit, he would hold extensive discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on bilateral relations as well as exchange of views on recent developments in the region and beyond.

As longstanding allies and strategic partners, Pakistan and Turkiye maintain a tradition of regular high-level exchanges, reflecting the exceptional bonds of brotherhood between the two nations.

The two countries also have an institutionalised leadership-level mechanism in the form of High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) for cooperation and coordination on various issues of mutual interest. The 7th session of HLSCC was held in Islamabad on 12–13 February, 2025. President Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz had co-chaired the 7th session.

The upcoming meeting represents a continuation of this robust dialogue and underscores the shared commitment to further elevate the multifaceted partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Rwanda vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation across different sectors, including trade, defence, technology and diplomacy, to build a mutually beneficial partnership and exploit the existing growth potential.

The bilateral ties were discussed during the “in-depth” discussions on Monday between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ambassador Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, who was on his first official visit to Pakistan from April 21-22.

Following their delegation-level meeting and signing of an MoU in the field of diplomatic training, the two foreign ministers expressed satisfaction over the strengthening bilateral relations and reiterated their commitment to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the priority areas like trade, investment, defence, diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges.

In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Dar said that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Rwanda as the country established its High Commission in Kigali in 2021 and Rwandan High Commission would be inaugurated during the ongoing Rwandan foreign minister’s visit.

He said that offering a promising market for Rwandan products, Pakistan was among the largest importers of Rwandan tea and was actively exploring further imports of Rwandan coffee, avocado, pulses and horticulture products.

Similarly, he said that Pakistan’s exports in pharmaceuticals, textiles, rice, surgical instruments, agri-tech, and sports goods had strong potential in Rwanda.

Citing great potential for collaboration in information and communication technology, the deputy prime minister said that Pakistan was keen to partner with Rwanda in digital transformation, e-governance, fintech, and innovation platforms for youth.

He said Pakistan looked forward to the continued engagement of Rwandan businesses, including at the upcoming Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference and Single Country Exhibition in Addis Ababa in May 2025.

Highlighting the frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries, Dar said that the bilateral cooperation on the multilateral front also remained robust, with both supporting each other’s candidatures at the UN and other international fora.

In his remarks, Foreign Minister Olivier J P Nduhungirehe said that besides signing an MoU on diplomatic training, both sides were considering other MoUs in different fields to deepen cooperation.

He said that his delegation comprised representatives from different institutions, including the Rwanda Development Board and the trade ministry as a testament to Rwanda’s desire to do business with Pakistan and attract Pakistani businesses to explore Rwanda.

He said both sides desired to work together in many sectors such as trade, investment, education, and defence. He said currently, Rwandan exports to Pakistan stood at $26 million and expressed keenness to explore joint projects. Pakistan’s exports to Rwanda in the fields of trade, industry and health were around $100 million.

The Rwandan foreign minister also emphasised bilateral cooperation in tourism and sports, particularly cricket as the game was highly popular on both sides.

The minister said that Pakistan and Rwanda shared the same resolve for world peace with both countries in the top five of troop-contributing countries in UN peacekeeping.

He lauded Pakistan’s contribution in finding a solution to conflicts on the African continent while currently being a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Highlighting the ongoing peace efforts to end the 30-year-old conflict in the eastern DRC region and the appointment of facilitators, the foreign minister said Rwanda would continue supporting this process and expressed the hope for the revival of peace in the coming months.