PM Khan to meet UAE royalty during day-long visit tomorrow
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Prime Minister Imran Khan will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday for a day-long visit during which he will meet the country's top leadership, the Foreign Office has announced.
The premier will undertake the visit at the invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
"Matters of bilateral, regional and global interest will be discussed in the meeting between the prime minister and the crown prince," the FO statement said.
Khan will be accompanied on the trip by the ministers for foreign affairs, finance, petroleum and power and the adviser to the prime minister on commerce.
According to the FO, the prime minister will also hold a meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE.
The premier's latest visit to the UAE comes on the heels of increased bilateral contacts aimed at forging closer economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries in areas of common interest.
Khan had first visited the Emirates in September following his election as the prime minister — a trip during which he met the Abu Dhabi crown prince.
The trip was followed by a visit to Pakistan by a UAE delegation comprising CEOs/senior officials of major companies including Mubadala Petroleum, ADIA (Sovereign Wealth Funds), Etisalat, DP World, Dubai Investment Authority, Emaar Properties, Aldahra Agriculture and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
The areas identified for cooperation during the discussions included agriculture, agricultural exports, fruit and vegetables, food processing industry, energy, housing, water etc., Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had revealed at the time.
The UAE side had also expressed interest in the establishment of an oil refinery and a state-of-the-art energy terminal in Pakistan.
Qureshi had said the two sides also discussed how the UAE could facilitate Pakistan, like Saudi Arabia, in oil supply through preferential treatment.
Following his visit to the Gulf state, Prime Minister Khan will embark on a two-day official tour of Malaysia on November 20.
The premier has already been to Saudi Arabia and China, both of whom had assured him of financial assistance in the face of Pakistan's mounting balance of payments crisis.
