ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani met his UAE counterpart Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini on Wednesday, stressing the importance of learning from the Gulf country’s digitalization model to promote e-commerce and macroeconomic stability, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said. 

Kayani is leading a senior delegation of Pakistani officials who arrived in the UAE this week to participate in a two-day experience exchange program aimed at learning from the UAE’s governance and public sector innovation models.

The program, running from July 8–9, includes sessions with various UAE ministries and authorities and focuses on innovative approaches to public service delivery, competitiveness, and institutional reform. The initiative is in line with Islamabad’s desire to modernize its public sector and strengthen economic cooperation with the Gulf nation.

“Minister Kayani also outlined Pakistan’s reform agenda to modernize public sector finance and emphasized the importance of learning from the UAE’s digitalization model,” the Pakistani embassy said about Kayani’s meeting with Al Hussaini. 

Kayani expressed Pakistan’s appreciation for the UAE’s continued financial support, the statement said, recognizing it played a vital role in maintaining the country’s economic stability.
 
The two sides held discussions on key aspects of fiscal management, including budgeting practices, public finance oversight and tax policy reforms, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said.

“Both ministers shared insights from their respective national experiences, identifying common challenges and opportunities to strengthen institutional capacity and improve governance frameworks,” it said. 
 
Kayani said Pakistan’s reform agenda, spearheaded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was focused on e-commerce, digitization and sustained macroeconomic stability.

“He emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to deepening structural reforms, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and promoting transparency and good governance as key pillars of long-term economic resilience,” the statement said. 
 
The two sides also reflected on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Pakistan’s Planning Ministry and the UAE’s Cabinet Affairs ministry on June 16, 2025.

The MoU reinforces the shared commitment of both governments to modernize governance, build institutional capacity, and develop future-ready public administration systems.

Islamabad considers UAE a vital economic ally as it is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. 

The Gulf country is also home to over 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates and is the highest source of foreign remittances for Pakistan after Saudi Arabia.