LAHORE, Oct 22: The UAE Embassy and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry have agreed to work on a roadmap to further promote economic cooperation between the two countries.

A consensus to this effect was developed between LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Essa Abdulla Al Basha Al-Noaimi during a meeting here on Monday.

Ambassador Essa said that bilateral trade and investments in Pakistan has reached $23 billion in various areas of banking and real estate, energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, ports, housing and aviation; and the two sides were taking interest to hold international expos and joint investments in both countries for development of this sector and promotion of economy.

He said that the UAE was the first country that organised a conference to promote investment in Pakistan in Dubai in March 2010.

Ambassador Essa said that exchange of trade delegations, participation in each other’s fairs and exhibitions, protection to foreign investments and timely dissemination of trade related information would be pursued with a new strategy.