ANWAR TO MAKE LANDMARK VISIT TO ETHIOPIA, INTENSIFY TIES WITH AFRICAN UNION

By M. Saraswathi

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will make a landmark visit to Ethiopia as Malaysia is set to intensify engagement with the African continent through the headquarters of the African Union in the country’s capital, Addis Ababa.

The 55-member African Union, which was set up in July 2002, is the representative voice for Africa on the global stage, and among its functions is to encourage international cooperation.

Anwar’s three-day visit starting Nov 18 to the “Horn of Africa” – the first for a Malaysian Prime Minister – is also to reciprocate Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali’s visit to Malaysia in October last year.

“The visit celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, established in January 1965, and is expected to open the door for opportunities and cooperation in various sectors between Malaysia and Ethiopia,” Embassy of Malaysia in Ethiopia Chargé d'Affaires Ad Interim Mohd Afandi Abu Bakar said in a virtual briefing today from Addis Ababa.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, is accompanied by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Zaliha Mustafa, other Malaysian government officials as well as a business delegation.

The visit also celebrates the reopening of Malaysia’s mission in Addis Ababa on Sept 23, 2025, after a lapse of 42 years, reaffirming Malaysia’s intention to further strengthen close bilateral relations.

He said it serves as a catalyst for exploring new opportunities for cooperation in various areas of mutual interest, particularly in trade, investment, and people-to-people relations.

The reopening of Malaysia’s Embassy in Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union, will also offer opportunities for Malaysia to bolster its relations with the larger African Union.

In Addis Ababa, an official welcoming ceremony awaits Anwar at the National Palace, attended by Dr Abiy Ahmed, following which both leaders would have a bilateral meeting. 

Mohd Afandi said the leaders are expected to discuss areas of mutual interest such as enhancing bilateral ties as well as fostering closer trade and investment linkages.

“They are also expected to discuss strengthening cooperation in areas such as agriculture, commodities, healthcare, education and people-to-people movement,” he added.

A number of agreements as well as memoranda of agreement are expected to be clinched between both countries including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in health, an air services agreement and an MoU on cooperation in tourism.

Others include a collaboration document between the Kuala Lumpur City Council and Addis Ababa City Administration, which will formalise the mechanism for maintaining strategic dialogue, setting the stage for long-term cooperation between the two nations.

Anwar will also pay a courtesy call on Ethiopia’s President Taye Atske Selassie and meet the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who is from Djibouti.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to deliver a special lecture titled “Bridging Civilisations, Building Futures: Strengthening Afro-Malaysia Partnership for Shared Prosperity” for the Pan-African Youth Union and Ethiopia Youth Council.

Ethiopia, the most populous landlocked country in the world, ranked as Malaysia's 26th largest trading partner in the African continent in 2023. 

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Ethiopia stood at RM446.8 million, with exports from Malaysia to Ethiopia valued at RM358.6 million, representing a 24.6 per cent increase from the previous year. 

Malaysia’s exports to Ethiopia comprise electrical and electronic products; palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products; chemical and chemical products; and textiles, apparels and footwear. 

In 2023, the trade balance was in Malaysia’s favour.

Ethiopia marks the first stop in Anwar’s tour of Africa. 

From Addis Ababa, he will travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, for a working visit from Nov 20 to 23 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit, before proceeding to Nairobi, Kenya, from Nov 23 to 24, ahead of his return home.

-- BERNAMA