Malaysia, Egypt to hold Joint Commission meeting in Q1 next year

Malaysia and Egypt have agreed to hold a Joint Commission meeting in the first quarter of next year to boost bilateral cooperation, with a focus on trade, investment, and transportation. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced this during a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who is in Malaysia for his first state visit since taking office in June 2014.

Despite Malaysia achieving a significant increase in trade, currently at 74.7% of the combined bilateral trade, Anwar emphasized that collaborating with Egypt can provide immense opportunities for expanding trade, investment, tourism, and cooperation across various sectors.

Anwar highlighted potential areas of cooperation such as semiconductors, electrical and electronics (E&E), agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. He noted Egypt's potential to be a destination for sourcing pharmaceutical products, given the countries' potential for collaboration beyond Islamic studies to fields like engineering, medicine, E&E, digital technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Anwar clarified that while Islamic education remains important, educational cooperation should encompass a broader range of disciplines.

Both countries also discussed strengthening cooperation in defence procurement and joint training, despite their geographical distance, with Anwar expressing that their "hearts are close." The meeting touched on international issues, including the unresolved situation in the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on Iran, as well as expressing support for Palestine and condemning Israel's actions.

Anwar acknowledged Egypt's substantial assistance in delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians, while emphasizing that Malaysia's contribution, though smaller, was also significant.