Fadillah in France for water talks
Visit to also seek insight on nuclear governance and energy transition
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof ( pic ) will be on a five-day official visit to France to participate in the Global Water Summit (GWS) 2025 and for collaboration in the field of energy transition.
According to the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry helmed by Fadillah, he was invited to deliver a keynote address at the opening plenary session of the summit themed 'Delivering the Economics of Water' on Tuesday.
GWS serves as a platform to outline Malaysia's strategic direction for the water sector, aiming to position it as a catalyst for sustainable development and national economic competitiveness.
'This will further establish the water sector as an economic hub by 2040, in line with the Water Transformation Roadmap 2040 (Air 2040),' the ministry said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
It said Fadillah's keynote address will be on 'Transforming Mindsets, Transforming Approaches: Malaysia's Vision for Sustainable Water Management'.
The ministry said the invitation was extended in recognition of Malaysia's progress as a model country in water governance, mainly on promoting water reuse as an alternative source for industries and expanding sanitation services to low-income communities.
Fadillah will also participate in discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions with six key French ministries and agencies involved in nuclear development and governance.
These include the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, Electricite de France (EDF), National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra), French Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ASNR), International Institute of Nuclear Energy (I2EN) and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
Fadillah is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on France's Energy and Industry Minister Marc Ferracci to explore potential collaboration in energy transition.
Tomorrow, Fadillah will visit a nuclear power plant operated by EDF to explore nuclear energy as a component of Malaysia's future energy mix to ensure long-term energy security.
The ministry said areas of potential cooperation included energy security, policy-making, regulatory framework, legislation and identifying best practices to overcome shared challenges.
The official visit to France is part of Malaysia's broader effort to strengthen its global investment appeal and foster deeper bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, it added.
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