PETALING JAYA: Malaysia extends its thanks to Egypt for supporting the application into Brics, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said this at the start of a diplomatic tour beginning with Cairo, Egypt at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Sunday (Nov 10).
The premier commended Egypt’s profound voice for the global south, which used to be known as the non-aligned movement.
“I conveyed Malaysia’s appreciation for Egypt’s support in our participation in BRICS, underscoring our shared commitment to fostering greater economic collaboration and sustainable development,” he said in his Facebook post on Sunday (Nov 10).
Earlier in a press conference, Anwar pointed out that Malaysia had learnt a lot from Egypt in the non-aligned movement, and it is seen as a leading voice in terms of resilience, independence and neutrality consistent with the Asean’s centrality position.
This is in terms of engaging with all countries and collaborating particularly in terms of trade and investment but maintaining independence, he said.
“As the chair of Asean next year, we will do our best with our colleagues to engage with Egypt.
“We will also do our level best to ensure that Asean benefits from its relationship with Egypt, which is not only a founder of the African Union but an important voice in the region”, he said.
He also said that his discussions with El-Sisi were comprehensive, aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.
He said that they had explored opportunities across multiple key sectors, including investment, trade, palm oil, the halal industry, education, tourism, health, and the development of natural resources and renewable energy.
“I am confident that the ties between Malaysia and the Arab Republic of Egypt will continue to grow stronger, bringing about mutual prosperity and closer cooperation for the benefit of our people,” he said.
Separately, Anwar highlighted the pressing and deeply concerning situation in Palestine while recognising Egypt’s significant efforts, alongside Qatar and the United States, in seeking a resolution to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the aggression of the Zionist regime.
Furthermore, the premier said that they shared a deep concern over the escalating conflict in Lebanon, which threatens broader regional stability.
“We agreed on the urgent need for both nations to take a more proactive and resolute stance to halt the violence, safeguard lives, and uphold the principles of universal justice,” he said.
He also thanked El-Sisi and the Egyptians for helping Malaysian humanitarian efforts for Gaza, which had not been easy due to Israel’s continuous blockades and intransigence.
He pointed out that El-Sisi himself has personally interfered on a number of occasions to ensure there is a smooth flow including allowing the country’s military planes to take some injured Palestinians to malaysia,
“This is small compared to the sacrifice of the Egyptians in support of Palestinians, particularly in Gaza now,” he said.
Following his engagements in Cairo, Anwar will proceed to Riyadh to attend the Arab-Islamic Summit.
Upon completing his itinerary in Cairo and Riyadh, Anwar will lead the Malaysian delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) 2024 Summit in Lima, Peru.
