PM Anwar’s Visit To Three African Nations To Prioritise Economic Cooperation And Investment

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit Ethiopia, South Africa, and Kenya from tomorrow until November 24, in a bid to enhance economic relations and new investment opportunities for Malaysia on the continent.

Senior Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, said the visit will also include an official government delegation and a business mission to strengthen economic cooperation with Africa’s key markets.

“These three markets offer vast opportunities for collaboration in line with the MADANI government’s aspiration to diversify markets and reinforce Malaysia’s position on the international stage,” he said during a media briefing here today.

Tunku Nashrul said Anwar’s official visit — in his capacity as finance minister — will begin in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with a courtesy call on President Taye Atske Selassie, after which both leaders will participate in the Malaysia-Ethiopia High-Level Business Forum to explore trade and investment opportunities.

“Focus will then shift to a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, where bilateral discussions will outline the strategic cooperation agenda, followed by an exchange of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs),” he said. 

Anwar is also scheduled to hold a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and deliver a public lecture to African youth, organised together with strategic youth partners as a platform to strengthen Africa-Asia youth relations.

Tunku Nashrul said that from Addis Ababa, the prime minister will proceed with a working visit to Johannesburg, South Africa, from Nov 20 to 23 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Malaysia’s presence as ASEAN chair in 2025 will represent the voice of 650 million ASEAN citizens and the aspirations of the Southeast Asian region on key issues, he said.

“In addition to the G20 Summit and the meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the prime minister is also scheduled to attend a business forum with South African industry players, as well as engage in dialogue with local Muslim community leaders and meet Malaysians living in South Africa,” said Tunku Nashrul.

From Nov 23 to 24, Anwar will undertake an official visit to Kenya, where he is scheduled to hold a four-eyes meeting and bilateral discussions with Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto, and witness the exchange of MoUs.

The prime minister will also deliver a keynote address at the Malaysia-Africa Higher Education Forum (MAHEF 2025), attend the Malaysia-Kenya Business Forum, and meet members of the Malaysian diaspora.

“The prime minister and the delegation are scheduled to arrive back in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25.

“The MADANI government holds high hopes that the series of engagements in Ethiopia, South Africa and Kenya will strengthen friendships, drive trade, and open new opportunities for the well-being of the Malaysian people,” said Tunku Nashrul.

Asked about the involvement of the business delegation in the series of visits, he said that the government practises direct economic diplomacy, where government-to-government negotiations are accompanied by industry players themselves.

Tunku Nashrul said the presence of the business delegation also enables immediate matching between the needs of the local markets in Ethiopia, South Africa and Kenya and the expertise of Malaysian companies, whether to enter new markets or to expand existing operations.

“The management of these companies was selected directly by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, after obtaining the prime minister’s approval,” he said.

Tunku Nashrul said that this has long been the practice, where, through the involvement of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), arrangements are facilitated for industry players and Malaysian and foreign companies to pursue investments or business ventures through business forums with industry leaders in the countries visited.

In 2024, Ethiopia was Malaysia’s 26th-largest trading partner in Africa, with total trade amounting to RM626 million, comprising RM580.3 million in exports and RM45.7 million in imports.

During the same period, South Africa remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner on the continent, with total trade of RM7.1 billion, making it Malaysia’s second-largest export destination and third-largest source of imports in Africa.

Kenya emerged as Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner in 2024, with total trade reaching RM5.7 billion, an increase of 1.2 per cent compared with RM5.51 billion recorded in 2023.

-- BERNAMA