PUTRAJAYA, June 10 (Bernama) -- Polish President Andrzej Duda, who is on his first official visit to Malaysia, was accorded a formal welcome at Perdana Putra Complex here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received Duda upon his arrival at 10 am, followed by the playing of the national anthems of both countries.
Duda then inspected a guard of honour mounted by three officers and 103 personnel from the First Battalion Royal Ranger Regiment, led by Major Nur Ahmad Zaim Zahari.
Also present were the Prime Minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, foreign diplomats and senior government officials.
Duda is accompanied by his spouse, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, as well as several Cabinet ministers and senior Polish officials.
Duda, who assumed office in August 2015, is making the visit at a significant moment, coinciding with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025.
Following the welcome ceremony, Duda signed the guest book and then proceeded to a bilateral meeting with Anwar. The meeting is expected to explore stronger cooperation in trade and investment, the defence industry, agriculture, the halal sector and agri-commodities.
Anwar will later host an official luncheon at Seri Perdana Complex in honour of Duda and his delegation.
According to Wisma Putra, Duda is also scheduled to visit the Second Regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps at Kem Sunggala in Port Dickson and deliver a public lecture at the Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya.
The visit underscores the strong and friendly relations between Malaysia and Poland, which have been built on mutual respect and close cooperation since diplomatic ties were established in 1971.
In 2024, Poland was Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner among European Union member states, with total bilateral trade rising by 19.5 per cent to RM5.66 billion compared to 2023.
Malaysia’s major exports to Poland include electrical and electronic products, rubber products and machinery, while key imports from Poland consist of machinery, equipment and parts, electrical and electronic products and transport equipment.
-- BERNAMA
