Uzbekistan President To Undertake First Official Visit To Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is set to undertake an official visit to Malaysia on Feb 4 to 5, marking his first trip to the country since assuming office in December 2016.

In a statement on Tuesday, Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said Mirziyoyev will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including seven Cabinet ministers, among them Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, as well as other senior officials.

Mirziyoyev will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya on Wednesday (Feb 5), followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“During the meeting, both leaders are expected to review the progress of Malaysia-Uzbekistan bilateral relations following the Prime Minister’s official visit to Uzbekistan in May 2024, particularly in trade and investment, the halal industry, education, connectivity and tourism,” said the statement.

The ministry, also known as Wisma Putra, said both leaders will exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, including Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, and a joint statement will be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.

Following the bilateral meeting, the leaders will witness the exchange of three memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

The three MoUs are on cooperation in the fields of health, forensic sciences, and culture.

“Additionally, four Exchanges of Notes (EoN) will be signed in the areas of higher education, diplomatic training, halal and customs,” it said.

According to Wisma Putra, Anwar will also host an official luncheon at Seri Perdana in honour of Mirziyoyev.

Also in the itinerary, both leaders will attend the Malaysia-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Kuala Lumpur, which will provide an opportunity to explore further opportunities for economic collaboration and strengthen business ties between the business communities of the two countries.

 Both leaders are also scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by Malaysia’s national oil and gas company, Petronas.

In 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with Uzbekistan was RM369.8 million (US$80.9 million), a slight decline of 13.2 per cent, from the RM426.1 million (US$94 million) recorded in 2023. The trade balance is in Malaysia’s favour at RM360.3 million (US$78.9 million).

In 2024, Uzbekistan remains Malaysia’s second largest trading partner among the Central Asian countries.

-- BERNAMA