Malaysia to facilitate halal products certification for Peru - PM

SAN FRANCISCO: Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra has requested Malaysia to consider opening an office in Peru to help facilitate halal certification of Peruvian products, as Malaysia's halal certification is recognised worldwide, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"I have agreed to facilitate Peru's request as soon as possible," he told the Malaysian media after having a bilateral meeting with Boluarte on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting here today.

Also present during the meeting were Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Malaysia's Ambassador to the United States Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and Member of Parliament Sim Tze Tzin.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said Boluarte has invited him to visit Peru next year in conjunction with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2024 which Peru is chairing.

He said the Peruvian President also invited Malaysian businesses to visit and invest in Peru.

Meanwhile, Anwar thanked the Peruvian authorities for rescuing and assisting 43 Malaysians who were victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation in Peru recently.

"Boluarte has conveyed her government's commitment to prevent and combat trafficking in persons," he said.

Anwar said Malaysia has reiterated its commitment to continue training Peruvian officials under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme and to learn from each other's expertise.

On Peru's request to establish a Development Partnership status with ASEAN, he said Malaysia is supportive in principle.

Both leaders also discussed women empowerment and climate change, he added.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Peru stood at US$168.45 million (RM751.77 million) from January to June 2023, an increase of 12.8 per cent from US$155.97 million (RM666.44 million) recorded over the same period in 2022.

-- BERNAMA