ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an official visit to the Gulf state tomorrow, with discussions expected to focus on economic cooperation and recent regional developments, the Pakistani foreign office said on Wednesday.

Sharif’s trip comes amid Pakistan’s deepening ties with Gulf nations, including the UAE, as it strives to revive its economy through export-led growth and foreign investment.

The UAE is Islamabad’s third-largest trading partner and a major investor. It is also home to over a million Pakistani expatriates and has been a critical ally during Islamabad’s recent financial crisis, depositing funds in Pakistan’s central bank to help unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on 12 June 2025,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“Prime Minister Sharif 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,” it added. “A wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern will be discussed during the high-level interactions.”

The foreign office said the visit reflected the “deep-rooted fraternal ties” between the two countries, marked by “mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation across multiple sectors.”

In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed agreements exceeding $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure.

Last month, Sharif held a phone call with the UAE president in which he expressed satisfaction over growing ties and pledged to transform the relationship into a “mutually beneficial economic partnership.”

During the call, the two leaders also discussed tensions between Pakistan and India that recently escalated into cross-border hostilities involving missile strikes, drones and artillery fire.

Sharif thanked the UAE for its “constructive diplomatic role” in defusing the crisis and said the Gulf nation had “always stood by Pakistan, through thick and thin.”

The UAE is also a strategically favorable destination for Pakistan due to its proximity, minimizing freight costs. The prime minister’s visit is expected to reinforce ongoing economic cooperation and explore new areas of strategic partnership.