Prime Minister’s visit to Egypt aims to strengthen Malaysia-Egypt relations

CAIRO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to conduct an official visit to Egypt from November 9 to 12, 2024.

The visit comes at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Accompanying the Prime Minister in the delegation are Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii.

Anwar is expected to be officially welcomed by President Sisi, followed by a bilateral meeting to discuss issues of shared interest between Malaysia and Egypt.

Malaysia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Datuk Mohd Tarid Sufian, stated that the main focus of these discussions will be on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, and energy transition.

“In addition, the discussions will also cover issues of food security and environmental sustainability,” he said at a media briefing with Malaysian media representatives in Cairo, Egypt.

He added that both leaders are expected to discuss regional and international issues, particularly the conflict in Palestine.

The two leaders are also expected to witness the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between the Malaysian Government and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif for academic cooperation at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, as well as MoUs between Malaysia and Egypt on Islamic affairs.

As part of his itinerary, Tarid mentioned that the Prime Minister will also deliver a lecture at Al-Azhar University, where he will meet with Malaysian students studying in Cairo.

In addition, he is expected to engage with local industry leaders and officiate the opening of a Proton Saga assembly operation center in Egypt.

The visit is regarded as a historic step that is expected to strengthen the brotherly relations between Malaysia and Egypt, as it marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

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

“In fact, from January to September this year, the trade value has already reached RM3 billion and is expected to surpass last year’s total.

“This represents a 21.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023,” said Tarid.

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