Pakistan and UAE reopen key bilateral forum after long hiatus

After more than a decade of dormancy, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are holding the 12th session of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) on Monday in Abu Dhabi, aiming to revive and strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, energy, labor, and consular matters.

The session marks the first high-level institutional dialogue between the two countries under the JMC framework since 2013, when the 11th session was held in Islamabad.

The JMC is the principal platform for structured engagement between Pakistan and the UAE. However, the commission had remained inactive for nearly 12 years, largely due to changing regional priorities, leadership transitions, and delays in scheduling. A session was planned in early 2019, but was postponed by the UAE citing the unavailability of its foreign minister.

Later attempts, including one scheduled for October 2024, were also delayed.

Revival reflects renewed diplomatic rush

The revival of the JMC follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the UAE on June 12, during which both sides agreed to accelerate economic cooperation. Since then, the Pakistani government has conducted two inter-ministerial meetings to prepare for the session.

The most recent session was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in Islamabad last week, and included senior officials from over 15 ministries and departments, including the Foreign Office, Economic Affairs Division, Commerce, Climate Change, Petroleum, and the State Bank of Pakistan.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting in Abu Dhabi will review progress in existing projects and explore new avenues for investment, particularly in energy, infrastructure, technology, and manpower export.

Why it matters

The UAE is one of Pakistan’s most significant economic partners, playing a vital role in the country’s trade, labor export, and financial stability.

In 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries surpassed US $10.9 billion, making the UAE Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner. Pakistani exports to the UAE also saw a healthy 7.5% increase over the past year, reflecting growing commercial ties.

Moreover, the UAE is home to approximately 1.7 million Pakistani workers, making it a major source of remittances, which amounted to $6.7 billion in 2024.

In addition to trade and labor links, the UAE has provided critical financial support to Pakistan, including deposits with the State Bank, which helped Islamabad unlock crucial IMF bailout tranches and stabilize its economy.