Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest during some high-level meetings.

Over the last few months, UAE expressed the country’s commitment to strengthening its long-standing partnership with Pakistan and announced a $2 billion debt rollover soon after. In April, the two nations signed and exchanged multiple memoranda of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the bonds between the people of both nations.

A press release issued by the Foreign Office today said that the visit reflected the “deep-rooted fraternal ties” between Pakistan and the UAE, marked by mutual trust, shared values, and close cooperation across multiple sectors.

“The PM will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, and other senior officers,” the press release said.

“PM Shehbaz will hold high-level meetings with the UAE leadership, including a bilateral meeting with the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.”

“The visit will serve to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the UAE, deepen economic ties, and foster multifaceted collaboration,” the press release continued.

It said that the visit was a “manifestation of Pakistan’s and UAE’s shared commitment to bolstering the mutually beneficial strategic partnership, enhancing cooperation in existing areas of mutual interest, and exploring new avenues for further strengthening the bilateral cordial relations.”

In February, PM Shehbaz was invited by UAE leader to participate in the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai, where he delivered a keynote address highlighting Pakistan’s vision for inclusive economic growth, digital transformation and governance reforms.

The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners in the Middle East and a major source of remittances, with a large Pakistani expatriate population living and working there.