PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Italy reviewed bilateral ties and discussed new cooperation opportunities during Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Tripodi’s working visit to Malaysia on Monday.
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said Italy also reaffirmed its support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship during a working lunch hosted by Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Mohamad Alamin.
“The two Deputy Foreign Ministers reviewed Malaysia-Italy bilateral relations and explored new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, defence and security, energy and the environment, tourism, and higher education,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, Mohamad and Tripodi also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Italy’s Presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) in 2024, and the situation in the Middle East.
Italy became an ASEAN Development Partner in 2020, with the ASEAN-Italy Development Partnership Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA) (2022-2026) serving as a framework for cooperation between ASEAN and Italy, the statement added.
During the working visit, which was her first since assuming office in October 2022, Tripodi also met with the Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Liew Chin Tong; the Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir; as well as the Director-General of the National Security Council, Raja Datuk Nushirwan Zainal Abidin.
From January to November 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with Italy recorded a 2.1 per cent increase, reaching RM13.44 billion (US$2.92 billion), compared with RM13.16 billion (US$2.90 billion) during the same period in 2023, said Wisma Putra.
Italy was Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner among European Union countries, with total trade valued at RM14.32 billion (US$3.15 billion).
As of 2024, a total of 137 projects with Italian participation had been approved, with total investments of RM3.53 billion (US$967.9 million), potentially creating 11,496 jobs, the statement added.
-- BERNAMA
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