Come set up shop in KL, Anwar says to Ethiopia after decades apart

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim conveyed a message to Ethiopia, suggesting the establishment of an Embassy in the Malaysian capital during his bilateral meeting with Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. This invitation comes in the wake of Malaysia's historic decision to reopen its embassy in Addis Ababa, after a gap of 43 years. The reopening signals a significant stride in the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Malaysia in 2024, followed by Anwar's visit to Ethiopia in 2025, has fostered a positive momentum in bilateral ties. The Prime Minister has announced that the inaugural Bilateral Consultation is slated to occur in Kuala Lumpur next year, aiming to further fortify cooperation between the two countries.

The discussions during the meeting encompassed a range of areas for cooperation, including halal products, agriculture, food security, pharmaceuticals, digital services, renewable energy, and tourism. Anwar also extended his gratitude to Ethiopia for its backing of Malaysia's engagement with Brics during the bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the 18th Brics Leaders’ Summit.

Malaysia's participation in the summit is in its capacity as a Brics Partner Country, a designation it has held since January 1, 2025. Ethiopia, being the world's most populous landlocked country, has ranked as Malaysia's 26th-largest trading partner in Africa in 2023. The bilateral trade between Malaysia and Ethiopia in 2023 amounted to RM446.8 million, with Malaysia exporting goods worth RM358.6 million to Ethiopia, a 24.6% increase from the previous year.