ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening on a four-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates to review trade, economic and security cooperation between the two countries, Pakistan’s presidency said.
During the visit, which runs until Jan. 29, the Pakistani president is expected to hold meetings with top UAE leaders and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues.
“Views will be exchanged on trade, economic partnership, defense, security and promotion of people-to-people contacts during the meetings,” the presidency said in a statement.
Zardari is also expected to discuss broader regional and global developments with UAE officials during the visit, Pakistan’s foreign ministry had said in an earlier statement, as both countries navigate shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics in the Middle East and South Asia.
Pakistan and the UAE maintain close political and economic relations, with Abu Dhabi playing a pivotal role in supporting Islamabad during periods of financial stress through deposits, oil facilities and investment commitments. The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, after China and the United States, and a key destination for Pakistani exports, particularly food, textiles and construction services.
The Gulf state is also home to more than 1.5 million Pakistani expatriates, one of the largest overseas Pakistani communities in the world, who contribute billions of dollars annually in remittances, a crucial source of foreign exchange for Pakistan’s economy.
Beyond trade and labor ties, Pakistan and the UAE have steadily expanded defense and security cooperation over the years, including military training, joint exercises and collaboration in counter-terrorism and regional security matters.
