CAIRO: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here today for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Malaysia and Egypt.

The Prime Minister's plane landed at the Presidential Arrival Hall of Cairo International Airport at 6:30 p.m. local time (12:30 a.m. Malaysia time).

Anwar was welcomed at the airport by Egypt's Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, along with senior Egyptian government officials.

Also present to greet Anwar was Malaysia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Datuk Mohd Tarid Sufian.

This visit will see the Prime Minister holding bilateral meetings to discuss and reinforce diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Egypt, while also fostering stronger ties of friendship between the two countries.

He is scheduled to attend a bilateral session with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss issues of mutual interest between Malaysia and Egypt.

Previously, Mohd Tarid stated that the Prime Minister’s official four-day visit to Egypt, starting today, would mark a significant milestone in the brotherly relationship between the two countries.

He noted that the visit, at the invitation of President Sisi, would create opportunities to strengthen the foundation for synergizing efforts to address various regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Joining the Prime Minister’s delegation for this official visit are the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir; and Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister, Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii.

Egypt is currently Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner in Africa, with trade value reaching RM3.35 billion in 2023.