PM Anwar's Official Visit To Kenya Set To Bolster Bilateral, Economic Ties

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Kenya, which begins today, is set to strengthen the bilateral and economic relationship between Malaysia and the African nation, including in sectors such as the digital economy and housing.

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Kenya Ruzaimi Mohamad said Anwar is expected to arrive in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi at 6 pm local time (11 pm Malaysian time), accompanied by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

The Prime Minister, who is leading the Malaysian delegation, has just finished participating in the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Upon arrival in Nairobi, Anwar will attend a state banquet hosted by President William Samoei Ruto at his official residence, known as the State House,” he said.

The following day, the Prime Minister will return to the State House for the official welcoming ceremony marking his state visit to Kenya, he added.

In a virtual press conference on Saturday, Ruzaimi said the welcoming ceremony will be followed by a one‑on‑one meeting between Anwar and Ruto, which is one of the Prime Minister’s main agendas, as well as bilateral talks between the two countries.

Commenting on relations between the two nations, Ruzaimi said ties between Malaysia and Kenya have been growing closer, particularly in trade, education, science and technology.

Besides investment, he said, the two leaders are expected to discuss affordable housing projects.

“The Kenyan President is very active in spearheading affordable housing projects.

“With Malaysia being well known for its success in similar projects that have enabled many Malaysians to own houses, we can extend our cooperation with Kenya to help them accomplish the same thing,” he said.

Ruzaimi said the digital economy is another sector with potential that Malaysian companies can explore in Kenya.

After concluding their bilateral meeting, the two leaders will witness the exchange of memoranda of understanding and documents of cooperation, including in tourism and between Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Nairobi City Council.

Anwar is then scheduled to attend the Malaysia–Africa Higher Education Forum in Nairobi, where he will deliver the keynote address and officially open the programme.

“He will also deliver a keynote address at the Malaysia-Kenya High Level Business Forum that is expected to be attended by 200 representatives from Malaysian and Kenyan companies.

“At that event, Anwar will meet and engage with the company representatives present,” Ruzaimi said.

He added that the Prime Minister will also hold a face-to-face meeting with a Kenyan company seeking to establish investment cooperation in agriculture with a Malaysian firm.

Later, Anwar is scheduled to meet Kenya’s Islamic community leaders and representatives from the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi, the city’s largest mosque.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister will present copies of the Quran with Swahili translation, Ruzaimi said.

Ruzaimi said that before concluding his official visit, Anwar will attend a luncheon with Malaysians, which will also be attended by the alumni of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP).

The MTCP is a short-term training programme offered by the Malaysian government to developing countries worldwide, including Kenya.

The programme was established in 1980 as part of the commitment to share Malaysia’s development experiences and expertise with other developing countries.

Through the programme, Malaysia provides various short-term training courses, scholarships, as well as capacity-building programmes in areas such as public administration, education, technology, economy and social development.

More than 600 Kenyan officers have benefited from the MTCP, a Malaysian government training programme open to developing countries worldwide.

In 2024, Kenya emerged as Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner in Africa, with total trade reaching RM5.7 billion, an increase of 1.2 per cent from RM5.51 billion in the preceding year.

Anwar will then depart Nairobi for Malaysia after the event, thus ending his visit to three nations on the African continent that began on Nov 18.

-- BERNAMA