KEY POINTS
- Pakistan and UAE signal progress towards Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- Commerce minister says technical-level talks are nearing completion
- Both sides reaffirm commitment to expand trade, investment and joint ventures
- CEPA seen as gateway to stronger Gulf-focused economic integration
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are moving closer to finalising a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as technical-level negotiations approach their concluding stage, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan said on Wednesday.
The minister made the remarks during a meeting with UAE Ambassador Salem Mohammed Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi at the Ministry of Commerce in Islamabad, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral economic ties and expediting progress on the CEPA process, according to an official statement.
Jam Kamal described Pakistan–UAE relations as historic, strategic and rooted in strong people-to-people links, noting that the partnership has remained resilient across political, defence and social spheres.
He said both countries now aim to translate this closeness into a more robust and balanced trade and investment relationship that reflects the full potential of bilateral ties.
Highlighting Pakistan’s ongoing economic reforms, the commerce minister said the government is focused on creating a more enabling environment for business and investment.
He acknowledged that stabilisation measures have posed short-term challenges for the private sector but stressed that policy emphasis remains firmly on medium-term growth, export expansion and regional connectivity, particularly through partnerships with Gulf economies.
The UAE envoy welcomed Pakistan’s reform agenda and praised the professionalism of the technical teams engaged in CEPA negotiations.
He described Pakistan as an attractive market due to its large consumer base, skilled human capital and strategic geographic location, and conveyed Abu Dhabi’s strong interest in expanding cooperation across trade, logistics, ports, infrastructure, manufacturing and investment facilitation.
Both sides also explored opportunities for joint ventures and trilateral cooperation in third-country markets, as well as enhanced collaboration in emerging regions, including Central Asia and Africa, officials said.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to maintain close coordination and ensure the timely completion of the CEPA process, which officials see as a stepping stone towards a new phase of mutually beneficial economic partnership between Pakistan and the UAE.
