Egypt Daily News – On the occasion of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia, and at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, paid an official visit to Egypt from November 9 to 12, 2024.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, affirmed their confidence in the continued growth of trade and mutual investments, based on their understanding of the potential of both countries’ economies.
This came during a joint statement by the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia, issued today, Sunday, during the official visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia to Egypt, coinciding with the sixty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia.
Joint statement
Issued by the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia during the official visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia to Egypt, coinciding with the sixty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia.
November 10, 2024
1- On the occasion of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia, and at the invitation of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, paid an official visit to Egypt from November 9 to 12, 2024. The two sides held talks on November 10, 2024, which included in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and an exchange of views on global issues of mutual interest.
2- The visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the second visit to Egypt as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and it is a culmination of the growing relations that benefit both brotherly countries.
To benefit from this new phase of close friendship and cooperation, the leaders of both countries agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership in the near future, as an incentive to ensure further progress and development for both countries, as well as to bolster their efforts towards creating a stable, just, and equitable world.
3- The two sides agreed to further enhance political relations by increasing the frequency of high-level visits between the two countries. In this regard, Malaysia is scheduled to host the second meeting of the Egyptian-Malaysian Joint Committee and the bilateral consultations at the earliest date agreed upon by both parties.
4- The two sides, based on their recognition of the potential of the two countries’ economies, affirmed their confidence in the continued growth of mutual trade and investments.
They also praised the efforts made to deepen the cooperation led by the business sector in the fields of the digital economy, agricultural goods, and the development of infrastructure in the field of renewable energy, transportation, and maritime transport, as well as cooperation in the industrial sector and semiconductor manufacturing.
Both sides emphasized that the comprehensive trade and investment relations between the two countries are based on the mutual interest in the principles of free and fair trade. They also agreed on the importance of free trade agreements for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in benefiting both countries.
5- The two sides noted the strong bilateral cooperation existing between the two countries in the fields of defense and security. They agreed to take the necessary measures to enhance and expand cooperation in these areas.
This includes, in addition to other efforts, conducting regular dialogue and consultations, exchanging information, joint training, and initiatives to combat terrorism and address cross-border crimes, such as cybersecurity threats and cryptocurrency fraud.
The establishment of the Malaysian Military Attaché Office in Cairo in May 2024 came to reaffirm Malaysia’s commitment to making continuous efforts to deepen and enhance cooperation with Egypt in the field of defense.
6- Both sides emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation in the fields of higher education and training between the two countries. In this context, Malaysia expressed its happiness with the Egyptian friendship initiative to offer more scholarships to Malaysian students to study at Egyptian higher education institutions.
The two sides also discussed ways to cooperate between the relevant ministries to address various issues and enhance collaboration in this field.
7- Both sides appreciated the importance of cultural exchange between Egypt and Malaysia in strengthening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries. They also agreed to continue working to attract students and experts from both countries to develop their studies and research, and they will work together to maintain the positive momentum that characterizes this cooperation.
8- Regarding the ASEAN community, Malaysia appreciated Egypt’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with ASEAN in 2016, and Egypt’s expression of its desire to enhance cooperation with ASEAN countries to support peace, stability, and cooperation relations. Malaysia, as the chair of the ASEAN community in 2025, has shown its readiness to work closely with Egypt to strengthen the relations between ASEAN and Egypt.
Malaysia also encouraged Egypt, given its important role as a founding member of the African Union, to strengthen its partnership with ASEAN.
9- Regarding the situation in the Middle East, both sides agreed on the need to call for the establishment of peace and security in the region. They addressed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and condemned the Israeli war on Gaza. Malaysia also expressed its appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid provided by Malaysia to the Palestinians, who are in dire need of it in the Gaza Strip.
The two sides also reiterated their affirmation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, including the right to establish an independent State of Palestine, and urged the United Nations Security Council to consider Palestine’s request for full UN membership in accordance with resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on May 10, 2024.
10- Both sides condemn Israel’s continued violations of international law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law in its military operations, which also violate Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, through its continuous incursions into Lebanon and airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of more than two thousand innocent civilians and causing severe damage to infrastructure.
They also emphasized the necessity of reaching an immediate ceasefire to end this humanitarian catastrophe and the importance of preserving the sovereignty of the State of Lebanon and the integrity of its territory. Both sides expressed their full support for the Lebanese state and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to ensure peace and security in the region.
11- Both sides affirmed their commitment to intensifying efforts to address climate change issues and agreed to adopt a balanced approach between climate ambitions and sustainable development.
12- Regarding the BRICS grouping, both sides welcomed the approval of the grouping’s leaders at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, 2024, to adopt the category of partner countries for the grouping. Malaysia hopes to work closely with Egypt and other BRICS members towards achieving full membership in the grouping and promoting the global south agenda.
13- The Arab Republic of Egypt and Malaysia look forward to expediting the conclusion of several pending memoranda of understanding and agreements, in order to move forward with more dynamic and effective cooperation in various fields.
On this occasion, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing and exchange of a memorandum of understanding between the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf and the Islamic Development Administration in Malaysia in the field of Islamic affairs during the visit.
14- Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian government, and the Egyptian people for the warm welcome and facilitation of his successful visit. He also expressed his and his country’s anticipation for President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to make a state visit to Malaysia at an appropriate time in the future.
