ISLAMABAD: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit Pakistan tomorrow (Dec. 26) to review bilateral ties, discuss regional issues and strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, energy and development, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Wednesday.
This will be his first official visit to Pakistan as UAE president.
He will arrive with a high-level delegation that includes ministers and senior officials, the foreign office said in a statement.
The statement said the visit reflects the depth of relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to expand cooperation in key sectors.
The UAE president will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the full range of bilateral relations. The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues.
The foreign office said the visit would help strengthen longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Sharif met UAE Ambassador Salem Mohammed Salem Al Zaabi in Islamabad. Sharif urged both sides to boost cooperation in trade and investment.
Pakistan counts the UAE among its closest economic and regional partners. The Gulf state is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States.
Pakistani officials view the UAE as a key export destination due to its proximity. They say shorter distances reduce transport costs and ease trade.
Both countries have signed agreements worth billions of dollars in recent years as Pakistan seeks deeper economic ties with Gulf states.
In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed agreements worth over $3 billion covering railways, economic zones and infrastructure.
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The UAE remains a major source of foreign investment in Pakistan. Investments have exceeded $10 billion over the past two decades, according to the UAE foreign ministry.
