Good Governance
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed Pakistan’s keen interest in learning from the United Arab Emirates’ modern governance practices, highlighting the UAE’s success in positioning itself among the world’s developed nations through a highly effective management system.
The remarks came during a high-level meeting with the UAE’s Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, who is leading a visiting delegation.
The UAE envoy to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi, as well as senior officials Abdullah Al Balouki and Ibrahim Al Ali from the Government Knowledge Exchange Office, also participated in the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that Pakistan is actively pursuing administrative reforms to enhance governance and service delivery. He noted key initiatives already underway in Pakistan, such as the digitization of public services, the move towards a paperless economy, and the recent implementation of a faceless customs system aimed at reducing human interaction and increasing transparency.
The premier underlined that while Pakistan is making meaningful progress, it is eager to benefit from the UAE’s rich experience in good governance, especially in areas such as data-based decision-making and performance evaluation systems.
He recalled his previous meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, describing it as highly productive and reflective of the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries. He also acknowledged the UAE’s crucial diplomatic role in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India during recent periods of heightened conflict.
Abdulla Nasser Lootah reaffirmed the UAE’s longstanding commitment to its fraternal ties with Pakistan. He lauded the Pakistani diaspora’s valuable contributions to the UAE’s development and reiterated his government’s willingness to share expertise and best practices across various governance-related domains.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Mr. Lootah jointly attended a formal signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two governments.
The agreement establishes a framework for enhanced cooperation in governance and public administration. It specifically includes provisions for exchanging institutional knowledge and models in areas such as good governance, development planning, human resource development, public sector reform, urban management, and science and technology.
Also present at the occasion were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning and Development Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi.
The ceremony signaled both countries’ shared vision of modernizing governance structures and strengthening institutional performance through mutual collaboration.
