ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation across various development sectors, including governance, public sector reforms, human resource development, and science and technology.
The MoU was signed by Pakistan’s Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and the UAE’s visiting Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange Abdullah Nasser Lootah on Monday.
The areas identified for collaboration in knowledge sharing and guidance include good governance, development planning, public sector reforms, human resource development, urban planning, and science and technology.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also attended the MoU signing ceremony.
Earlier, the visiting high-level UAE delegation, led by Abdullah Nasser Lootah, called on the Prime Minister.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister recalled his meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to Abu Dhabi, noting the UAE’s significant role in helping to defuse tensions between Pakistan and India.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives to promote good governance, Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan has undertaken measures towards digitisation, a paperless economy, a faceless customs system, and data-driven decision-making.
He commended the UAE for positioning itself among the developed nations through its modern management practices and expressed Pakistan’s interest in learning from the UAE’s experience to enhance the effectiveness of its own initiatives.
The UAE Minister lauded the role of the Pakistani community in the development of his country. He said the UAE is happy to share knowledge and experiences with Pakistan.
The UAE hosts over a million Pakistani expatriates, making it the second-largest Pakistani community abroad and a significant source of remittances to Pakistan.
In February, during the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan, both countries signed agreements in sectors such as mining, railways, banking, and infrastructure.
Earlier, in January of the previous year, Pakistan and the UAE had inked deals exceeding $3 billion, focusing on railways, economic zones, and infrastructure development.
