Anwar Hosts Luncheon For Uzbekistan President

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today hosted an official luncheon in honour of visiting Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at Seri Perdana here.

Mirziyoyev and his delegation, who arrived in Malaysia yesterday for a two-day official visit, were welcomed by Anwar at the Prime Minister’s official residence at 12.15 pm.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof; Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz; Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Earlier, both leaders witnessed the exchange of seven bilateral documents on customs matters, academic-diplomatic collaboration, health, forensic sciences, culture; higher education, and halal, which ministers from both countries represented.

Mohamad exchanged bilateral documents on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters and academic-diplomatic collaboration with his counterpart Bakthiyor Saidov.

Saidov, later exchanged bilateral documents with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, on health cooperation. He also exchanged bilateral documents with Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang, on forensic sciences.

Zambry exchanged documents with Uzbekistan Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovations, Kongratbay Sharipov, on cooperation in higher education, while Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar exchanged documents with Uzbekistan Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov, in the field of halal conformity assessment.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan also exchanged bilateral documents in the field of culture with his counterpart Ozodbek Nazarbekov.

Last year, 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 also in Malaysia’s favour at RM360.3 million (US$78.9 million). 

Uzbekistan also remained Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner among the Central Asian countries, in 2024.

-- BERNAMA