Malaysia Strengthens Role In Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction Efforts - Anwar

By Thivyamalini Ramalu

PUTRAJAYA, July 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia continues to strengthen its role in supporting the Palestinian people, particularly in the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. 

He welcomed the readiness of Japan and Palestine to co-chair, alongside Malaysia, the upcoming 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD IV) — a key regional cooperation platform that will be outlined through the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan in the near future.

“Our focus is clear, a comprehensive humanitarian response, early recovery, economic development and capacity building.

“We are also committed to coordinating joint efforts under the Gaza reconstruction plan initiated by Egypt, which has received support from the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),” he said in a statement issued to Bernama and RTM on Friday. 

Earlier, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, received a courtesy call from Palestinian Planning and International Cooperation Minister Dr Estephan Salameh and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) representative Natalie Boucly at his office here today.

Apart from the Palestinian issue, Anwar said the meeting also touched on the role of UNRWA in international missions.

“The Israeli regime’s barbaric act of banning UNRWA is an open attack against a United Nations (UN) body and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” he said.

UNRWA was established in 1949 as a critical lifeline for Palestinian refugees, and it currently supports nearly 5.9 million people in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, CEAPAD is a regional platform led by Japan since 2013, bringing together several East Asian countries to support Palestine’s nation-building efforts by leveraging member countries’ resources, expertise and economic development experience.

Current CEAPAD members include Japan, Palestine, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with the European Union (EU), which is currently Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching US$47.93 billion in 2024.

This was conveyed during Anwar’s meeting with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, here today.

“I welcome EU investments in new technologies, energy, digital sectors and climate-related initiatives, in addition to supporting the expedited negotiations on the Malaysia–EU Free Trade Agreement (MEUFTA) and the Framework Agreement with the European Investment Bank.

“We also touched on regional matters, including issues concerning Ukraine, Palestine and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) in Myanmar,” Anwar said. 

The 5PC calls for an immediate cessation of violence, inclusive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, facilitation of humanitarian aid by ASEAN, and access for the special envoy to meet all stakeholders in Myanmar.

--  BERNAMA