Malaysia, Egypt Strengthen Bilateral Ties and Economic Cooperation

PETALING JAYA: Bilateral relations between Malaysia and Egypt across various sectors will be further strengthened through a Joint Commission meeting scheduled for the first quarter of next year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the meeting, agreed upon by the foreign ministers of both countries, would provide a platform to translate their growing bilateral ties into broader economic opportunities.

He said Malaysia and Egypt would focus on expanding trade and investment cooperation, improving air connectivity and exploring new economic sectors during the meeting.

Anwar said bilateral trade between the two countries had increased by 74.7 per cent this year, although the growth was from a low base, leaving considerable room for further expansion.

“We have achieved this extraordinary increase this year, with trade surging by 74.7 per cent, but it started from a very, very low base,” he said at a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya yesterday.

The press conference was held in conjunction with El-Sisi’s two-day state visit to Malaysia.

On the potential of the pharmaceutical sector, Anwar said Malaysia was exploring rapidly developing economies, including BRICS member countries, as alternative sources of medicine supplies, with Egypt among the nations capable of meeting Malaysia’s pharmaceutical needs.

Beyond economic cooperation, the Prime Minister also expressed his appreciation to El-Sisi for Egypt’s assistance in facilitating the delivery of Malaysian humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

He said the support included helping to bring injured victims from Gaza to Malaysia for medical treatment, with coordination carried out through the Egyptian President’s Office and the country’s military intelligence.

Anwar said that although Malaysia’s contributions were smaller compared with Egypt’s humanitarian efforts, the country’s cooperation was crucial in ensuring aid could reach the Palestinian people.

“You have done so much to help the Palestinian people, but we are also trying to help, and we are able to do so with your assistance and that of your office,” he said.

In a related development, Malaysia and Egypt are seeking to expand educational cooperation into engineering, medicine, electrical and electronics (E&E), digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Prime Minister said cooperation between the two countries should cover a wide range of academic disciplines to meet the growing demand for technical and professional expertise.

He said the longstanding educational relationship between Malaysia and Egypt should be expanded beyond Islamic studies.

“Education must encompass other fields of study,” he said.

UTUSAN