UAE, Pakistan Set to Deepen Ties as President Bin Zayed Visits Islamabad
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is due to arrive in Islamabad today on his first official visit to Pakistan.
This will be the Emirati leader’s second visit to Pakistan this year, following his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Rahim Yar Khan in January. However, according to the Foreign Office (FO), Friday’s trip marks his first official visit as president.
In a statement, the FO said President Al Nahyan will hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
“The visit will provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates,” the FO said.
The Foreign Office added that the visit reflects the depth of bilateral ties and the shared commitment of both countries to enhance cooperation in key areas, including trade, investment, energy, development, and regional stability.
Pakistan and the UAE maintain close diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations, reinforced by historical links and a large Pakistani expatriate community in the Emirates. The UAE is among Pakistan’s largest trading partners and a major source of remittances, with thousands of Pakistanis employed across various sectors.
The two countries also collaborate in defence, energy, and investment projects, with the UAE frequently extending financial and humanitarian assistance to Pakistan.
In April this year, Pakistan and the UAE signed and exchanged several memoranda of understanding aimed at further strengthening people-to-people and institutional ties. Two MoUs focused on cooperation in culture and the establishment of a joint committee for consular affairs, while a third was signed between the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry to establish the UAE–Pakistan Joint Business Council.
