PM, Egypt president hold talks on elevating ties to Strategic Partnership

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim engaged in a high-level meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Seri Perdana Complex in Kuala Lumpur today. This conversation marks a significant milestone in elevating Malaysia-Egypt relations to a Strategic Partnership, a move long overdue after more than six decades of diplomatic ties.

The summit took place as part of El-Sisi's two-day state visit to Malaysia, aiming to bolster bilateral cooperation, explore new avenues of collaboration, and discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern.

During the meeting, Anwar and El-Sisi will lead bilateral talks involving delegations from both nations, focusing on expanding cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, and economic development. The talks are anticipated to culminate in the exchange of memoranda of understanding, further cementing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. A joint press conference will follow the bilateral discussions, where the leaders will outline the outcomes and chart the future direction of Malaysia-Egypt relations.

The meeting comes amid a surge in economic ties between the two nations, with bilateral trade more than doubling in the first eight months of 2026 to RM3.49 billion, surpassing the RM3.08 billion recorded for all of 2025. In 2025, Egypt was Malaysia's seventh-largest trading partner in Africa, with Malaysian exports amounting to RM2.55 billion and imports valued at RM530 million.

Diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Egypt were established in 1959, and the two countries have maintained close cooperation in various fields, including education, trade, and investment, as well as active engagement on regional and international platforms. El-Sisi's state visit, hosted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim, is expected to usher in a new chapter of bilateral relations, fostering stronger strategic and economic cooperation between the two nations.