Anwar begins working visits to Italy, France and Brazil from Tuesday

New Straits Times

8 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake a series of visits to three countries – Italy, France, and Brazil – beginning July 1.
This series of visits by the Prime Minister, beginning with a three-day working visit to Italy starting today, is part of Malaysia's ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and promote economic cooperation at the global level.
Malaysia's Ambassador to Italy, Datuk Zahid Rastam, noted that the Prime Minister's inaugural visit to Italy is being undertaken at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
"This visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and Italy across a wide range of sectors. It also reflects the government's commitment to exploring new initiatives in trade and investment, as well as cooperation in defence, energy, and agro-commodities," he told reporters in Malaysia via Google Meet from Rome on Monday.
According to Wisma Putra, the Prime Minister will attend the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a partner country in the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Zahid stated that during the visit to Italy, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by five Cabinet ministers: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Also part of the delegation is Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
According to Zahid, the Prime Minister will also be accompanied by relevant senior government officials and a corporate delegation comprising representatives from 13 Malaysian companies across various sectors.
He said the Prime Minister and his delegation are expected to arrive at Fiumicino Airport in Rome at approximately 7.50pm today, and that he is scheduled to host an engagement session with the Malaysian diaspora in Italy later that evening.
Meanwhile, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra), the Prime Minister is scheduled to officiate the "Malaysia–Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable" on July 2, which will be attended by industry leaders to discuss potential collaboration in bilateral trade and investment.
The roundtable meeting will involve more than 50 companies, associations, and industry representatives from both Malaysia and Italy.
On the same day, the Prime Minister will hold meetings with Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Vice President of the Comunita Religiosa Islamica Italiana (COREIS), and Abdellah Redouane, Secretary-General of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Italy and the Mosque of Rome.
According to Zahid, on Thursday, July 3, the Prime Minister will be interviewed by Rai News 24, a leading and influential television news network in Italy.
In the interview, the Prime Minister is expected to speak on bilateral relations between Malaysia and Italy, trade and investment matters, as well as Malaysia's role as Chair of Asean 2025, he said.
He further said that at midday on July 3, Anwar is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Meloni at Chigi Palace.
According to the Wisma Putra statement, the meeting provides an opportunity for both leaders to assess the progress of Malaysia–Italy relations and explore new areas of cooperation, particularly in economic, defence technology, and energy fields.
Both sides are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the Asean–Italy Development Partnership, Asean–European Union Dialogue Relations, and the situation in the Middle East.
The Prime Minister will also outline Malaysia's priorities for its Asean Chairmanship in 2025, as well as Asean's efforts in addressing regional and global challenges.
Zahid noted that the Prime Minister's visit to Italy is highly significant, reflecting the close ties between the two countries.
During the visit, both leaders will reaffirm their countries' commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through more comprehensive cooperation.
Zahid added that the visit would provide the mandate and momentum to elevate Malaysia–Italy bilateral relations towards a more strategic partnership in the future.
He said the visit as a whole will serve as a platform for the Prime Minister to articulate Malaysia's foreign policy, particularly the country's stance on regional and global issues on the international stage, while also highlighting Malaysia's current Asean Chairmanship.
The Wisma Putra statement noted that the longstanding bilateral relations between Malaysia and Italy remain strong and mutually beneficial, underpinned by sustained growth in trade and investment, as well as deepening people-to-people connectivity.
It also stated that in 2024, total trade between Malaysia and Italy rose by 2 per cent to RM14.61 billion (US$3.18 billion) compared to 2023.
For the period of January to May 2025, total trade continued to show a positive performance, rising by 3.3 per cent to RM6.50 billion (US$1.48 billion) compared to the same period in 2024.
Italy is Malaysia's fifth-largest trading partner among European Union countries and the third-largest importer of Malaysian palm oil from the bloc in 2024, according to the statement.
The Prime Minister will depart for France to undertake an official visit on July 3 and 4, following the conclusion of his visit to Italy. - BERNAMA