ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said that economic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were strengthening, with trade volume between the two countries increasing to over $8 billion, making it Pakistan’s biggest trade partner in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
“The UAE is also considered among the biggest foreign investors in Pakistan,” he added.
The foreign minister, addressing the 50th National Day of the UAE here, said that economic and trade ties were the cornerstone of the bilateral ties.
Mentioning the pace of work on projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the foreign minister said with the operationalisation of the Gwadar Port, Pakistan would be ready to connect the Middle East with Afghanistan and then Central Asia which would ultimately uplift all the people of the region.
Felicitating the UAE leadership on behalf of Pakistan’s leadership, Qureshi said the bilateral relations were bound in common heritage and multi-sphere cooperation.
Giving credit of UAE’s development to its founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan‘s far sightedness, Qureshi added that he said had great affection for Pakistan and also thanked him for taking interest in numerous economic and social projects.
The foreign minister said that Pakistan-UAE relations improved during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government whereas frequent highest level exchanges also helped widen economic cooperation.
Moreover, Qureshi also congratulated the UAE’s election to the UN Security Council for 2022-23 as well as the success of the Expo 2020.
