Guinea-Bissau President Embalo concludes visit by planting Merbau tree at Laman Perdana
KUALA LUMPUR — The President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, concluded his three-day official visit to Malaysia by planting a Merbau tree at the Perdana Botanical Garden here today.
Embalo and his delegation arrived at the site around 10.10 am and were welcomed by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
Upon arrival, Embalo planted the national tree of Malaysia, the Merbau, or scientifically known as Intsia palembanica, at Laman Perdana.
He then spent about 10 minutes on a buggy ride around the scenic and lush Perdana Botanical Garden and lake.
In her welcoming speech, Maimunah described Embalo's visit as a meaningful step forward in fostering solidarity between Malaysia and Guinea-Bissau.
'Your presence here, Your Excellency, in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur speaks volumes about the commitment of Guinea-Bissau to forging global partnerships grounded in mutual respect, sustainable development and shared progress. We are greatly encouraged by the transformative work taking place in your country,' she said.
Embalo arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday, marking the first-ever visit by a head of state from Guinea-Bissau.
Yesterday, he was accorded an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya, followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
According to Wisma Putra, Malaysia and Guinea-Bissau established diplomatic relations in November 1974.
Bilateral ties between the two countries remain cordial, underpinned by a shared commitment to cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
In 2024, Malaysia's total trade with Guinea-Bissau reached RM4.1 million, with Malaysia's exports to Guinea-Bissau valued at RM4.04 million and imports at RM0.06 million. — BERNAMA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
M'sia committed to disaster risk reduction for education
Promoting safe schools: Ahmad Zahid (second from left) at the ministerial roundtable at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva. — Photo courtesy of Zahid's Facebook page KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the resilience of its education system to disasters through the launch of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030, which aligns with the United Nations' Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he conveyed this message during a ministerial roundtable themed 'Safe Schools' at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva yesterday. 'This policy focuses on comprehensive risk reduction across all sectors, including the safety and continuity of education,' he said in a statement yesterday, reported Bernama. According to Ahmad Zahid, one of the key initiatives highlighted was the development of the Disaster Risk Reduction Education Module by the Education Ministry, Unicef Malaysia and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), which will benefit nearly 7,800 primary schools nationwide. He said the module emphasises experiential learning, hands-on training and active student engagement, in line with the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response framework. To ensure comprehensive implementation, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia is also exploring strategic collaborations with non-governmental organisations, private companies and government-linked companies. 'At the same time, Nadma's community-based disaster risk management programme successfully engaged nearly 44,000 Malaysians, including over 12,000 youths, over the past year,' he added. He also shared Malaysia's initiative to build permanent relief centres in high-risk school areas, with a federal government allocation of RM135mil. These centres will function as shelters during disasters and serve as community learning hubs during normal times. 'Malaysia has also expressed its readiness to share expertise and foster cross-border collaboration in strengthening global school safety. 'We believe that investing in resilience today is the best protection for our children's future,' he said. The Deputy Prime Minister led the Malaysian delegation to the eighth session of the meet in Geneva.
New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- New Straits Times
No intervention means Gaza genocide continues
RIGHTS groups, lawyers and some governments are describing the Gaza war as "genocide" and calling for a ceasefire but Israel, created in the aftermath of the Nazi Holocaust of Jews, vehemently rejects the explosive term. Israel's military offensive on Gaza since October 2023 has killed 54,677 people, mostly civilians, according to the Health Ministry in the occupied Palestinian territory. The United Nations has said the territory's entire population of more than two million people is at risk of famine, even if Israel said last month it was partially easing the complete blockade on aid it imposed on Gaza on March 2. Despite international calls for an end to the war, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas remains elusive. In December 2023, South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations' highest judicial organ, alleging that Israel's Gaza offensive breached the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. In rulings in January, March and May 2024, the ICJ told Israel to do everything possible to "prevent" acts of genocide during its military operations in Gaza, including by providing urgently needed humanitarian aid to prevent famine. Amnesty International has accused Israel of carrying out a "live-streamed genocide" in Gaza, while Human Rights Watch has alleged it is responsible for "acts of genocide". A UN committee in November found Israel's warfare in Gaza was "consistent with the characteristics of genocide". And a UN investigation concluded in March that Israel carried out "genocidal acts" in Gaza through the destruction of the strip's main IVF (in vitro fertilisation) clinic and other reproductive healthcare facilities. Omer Bartov, an Israeli scholar of the Holocaust, wrote in August last year that "Israel was engaged in systematic war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocidal actions". Fellow Israeli historians Amos Goldberg and Daniel Blatman in January co-wrote an article in which they said: "Israel is indeed committing genocide in Gaza." France's President Emmanuel Macron has said it is not up to a "political leader to use the term but up to historians to do so when the time comes". But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used it and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has accused Israel of "premeditated genocide". The International Criminal Court (ICC) in November issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel's war in Gaza — including starvation as a method of warfare. In the case of Rwanda, in which the UN said extremist Hutus killed some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994, it took a decade for the International Criminal Tribunal to conclude genocide had happened. It was not until 2007 that the ICJ recognised as genocide the murder by Bosnian Serb forces of almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995 during the Bosnian war. French-Israeli lawyer Omer Shatz said "there is no doubt that war crimes, crimes against humanity are being committed" in Gaza. But the international law expert agreed intent was more difficult to prove. That is why, after the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant, Shatz filed a report with the court in December arguing they were among eight Israeli officials responsible for "incitement to genocide in Gaza". "If incitement is established, that establishes intent," he said. His 170-page report lists such alleged incitements, including Gallant at the start of the war saying Israel was fighting "human animals" in Gaza and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urging "total extermination" in the Palestinian territory. Mathilde Philip-Gay, an international law expert, warned: "International law cannot stop a war. The judiciary will intervene after the war. "The qualification (of genocide) is very important for victims but it will come later." The 1948 Genocide Convention says signatories can call on UN organs "to take such action... for the prevention and suppression of acts of genocide".
Barnama
14 hours ago
- Barnama
Lebanon Says Israel Aggression On Southern Suburb Blatantly Violates Int'l Agreement
He added that the attack clearly manifests the perpetrator's rejection of the requirements of stability, settlement, and just peace in the region. Aoun denounced the attack as a blatant violation of an international agreement and the basic tenets of United Nations (UN) and humanitarian laws and resolutions, on the eve of a sacred religious occasion. In a statement issued by the Lebanese Presidency's media office, Aoun added that the perpetrator of these atrocities is sending a message, primarily to the United States, its policies, and initiatives, through Beirut's mailbox and the blood of its innocent civilians, to which Lebanon will never submit. For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the aggression as a systematic and deliberate targeting of Lebanon, its security, stability, and economy, especially on the eve of the holidays and the tourist season. In a statement issued by the Lebanese government, Salam affirmed that these attacks constitute a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities to deter Israel from continuing its attacks and to compel it to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory.
