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- Summit will bring together a large number of heads of state, global policymakers, and leading private sector figures
- Shehbaz Sharif will deliver keynote address, highlight Pakistan’s vision for economic growth and governance at summit
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today, Monday, to attend the World Governments Summit (WGS) on Feb. 10-11, the Pakistani foreign office said on Sunday.
The summit will bring together a large number of Heads of State/Government, global policymakers, and leading private sector figures to discuss the future of governance, innovation and international cooperation, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
This will be Sharif’s second visit to the UAE since assuming office in March last year. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and other key members of his cabinet.
“The Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address at the WGS, highlighting Pakistan’s vision for inclusive economic growth, digital transformation and governance reforms,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“He will also hold bilateral meetings with the UAE leadership as well as engage with Heads of State/Government from participating countries and leading CEOs of major multinational companies.”
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates, making it the second-largest Pakistani expatriate community worldwide, as per the foreign office, and a major source of foreign workers’ remittances for Pakistan.
Both countries have stepped up efforts in recent years to strengthen their business and investment relations. In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure, a Pakistani official said, amid Pakistani caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum’s summit.
“The prime minister’s visit underscores Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to further strengthening its ties with the UAE, fostering greater economic collaboration and exploring new avenues of partnership for mutual prosperity,” the foreign office added.