PUTRAJAYA, March 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake an official visit to Saudi Arabia from March 22 to March 24, at the invitation of the Kingdom’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
This will be Anwar’s maiden visit to the Kingdom after being sworn in as the country’s 10th Prime Minister last November.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to have audiences with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will also hold engagement sessions with the business communities, as well as the Malaysian diaspora in Saudi Arabia.
The visit reflects the special bond and long-standing relationship with the Kingdom and will provide an excellent opportunity for both sides to elevate bilateral relations and cooperation, guided by mutual interests in various areas, according to the statement.
Saudi Arabia remains Malaysia’s largest trading partner and the largest source of imports in the West Asian region. The total trade in 2022 was valued at RM45.52 billion (US$10.26 billion), an increase of 159.2 per cent, compared to RM17.56 billion (US$4.23 billion) in 2021.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as well as Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil and senior government officials during the visit.
Wan Zaidi said the prime minister is also scheduled to meet with the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha. and the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa.
He said the Prime Minister will also visit the Islamic Development Bank here, where he is scheduled to deliver a keynote address.
“These meetings will be a platform for the Prime Minister and the relevant leaders to discuss various issues of interest involving Malaysia.
“They will also serve as a vehicle for the Prime Minister to explore economic opportunities that the Malaysian business community can venture into in Saudi Arabia, as well as to promote Malaysia as a major investment destination in the Southeast Asian region,” Wan Zaidi said.
Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed involving cooperation between government agencies of the two countries and the private sector.
The Prime Minister will also take the opportunity to meet Malaysians in Jeddah, he added.
Anwar’s visit would reflect the close bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, one that is built on mutual trust and partnership.
“This symbiotic relationship has benefited the people of both countries from the cooperation implemented in various sectors,” Wan Zaidi added.
Saudi Arabia is the largest trading partner, the third largest export destination and the largest source of imports in the West Asian region last year (2022), with bilateral trade amounting to RM45.52 billion (USD10.26 billion), an increase of 159.2 per cent compared to the previous year.
He said total exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 43.8 per cent for the same period, amounting to RM7.28 billion (USD1.66 billion), while total imports from Saudi Arabia recorded an increase of 205.8 per cent amounting to RM38.24 billion (USD8.60 billion).
— Bernama
