UAE committed to help Pakistan

The UAE is committed to advance efforts for development and stability in Pakistan for its strategic depth to security and stability of the region, said Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday.

Addressing the opening session of Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) public-private partnership conference in Dubai, Sheikh Abdullah said the UAE highlights the importance of meeting in reaching the aspired goals of forging a long-term public-private partnership as a launching pad for supporting development work and reconstruction efforts in Pakistan.

“We are always looking forward for contribution of the private sector in shouldering the responsibility with governments of member states of FODP,” Sheikh Abdullah said.

The UAE foreign minister also stressed the important role the private sector inside or outside Pakistan can play.

“Building bridges of co-operation and partnership with their peers in member states of the group has become an inevitable necessity in order to serve stability and development in Pakistan for the benefit of the private sector,” he added.

Outlining the UAE efforts towards supporting Pakistan, Sheikh Abdullah told the gathering that the UAE hosted the meeting of senior FODP officials in November 2008 and the meeting of experts in April 2009.

He said that the UAE had pledged in the Tokyo donor conference in April 2009 to offer $300 million (Dh1.1 billion) in support of Pakistan.

The UAE and Pakistan are co-chairing the important forum for the first time in the region. Sheikh Abdullah hoped the group would play a key role in rendering the initiative a success.

As the UAE attaches great importance to the success of the event, he said that goal would not be achieved without collective efforts of all.

The meeting was attended by Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mohmood Qureshi, top officials of the group’s member states and senior private sector representatives.

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