From Siti Nurhana Shafirah Mat Nazir
ISTANBUL, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will undertake a four-day working visit to Turkiye from tomorrow until Nov 8 in conjunction with the TRT World Forum 2026, scheduled to take place at the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC) here on Friday.
Malaysian Ambassador to Turkiye Adlan Mohd Shaffieq said Ahmad Zahid was also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz, who will be attending the international forum.
“On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister will also meet his Lebanese counterpart, Tarek Mitri, at the ICC,” he told a press conference on the visit here today.
Adlan said Ahmad Zahid would be among the panellists at a session entitled “Turkiye: From Regional Power to Multi-Regional Actor”.
The TRT World Forum will be officially opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Held under the theme “A World Without a Centre: Who Leads When the Rules Run Out?”, the forum brings together political leaders, policymakers, academics, media practitioners and civil society representatives to discuss global issues.
Malaysian figures who have previously participated in the prestigious forum include Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2018 and 2019, former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz in 2019, and public health expert Prof Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood in 2020.
On Nov 7, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to participate in an engagement session with the leading think tank Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) to discuss current geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges.
Adlan said Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, would witness the signing of Letters of Collaboration (LOCs) between Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University.
The session will also be attended by 17 MARA-sponsored students currently pursuing their studies in Turkiye.
Adlan said the Deputy Prime Minister is also scheduled to receive a courtesy call from Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, who also oversees technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the country.
Malaysia and Turkiye established formal diplomatic relations on June 17, 1964, and have since maintained close strategic cooperation across various sectors, including politics, the economy, trade and education.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has reached USD5.6 billion.
In January 2026, both countries agreed to raise the figure to USD10 billion within the next five years, reflecting their commitment to strengthening economic ties and Malaysia's position as one of Türkiye's key trading partners in Southeast Asia, alongside Singapore.
-- BERNAMA
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