From Kamarul Ariffin Md Yasin
ABU DHABI, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here on Sunday for a three-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), among others, to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) and enhance bilateral relations in various fields between the two countries.
The special aircraft carrying the Prime Minister landed at the Abu Dhabi International Airport at 9 pm local time (1 am Monday Malaysian time).
Upon arrival, Anwar was greeted by UAE Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Malaysian Ambassador to the UAE, Tengku Datuk Sirajuzzaman Tengku Mohamed Ariffin.
Anwar's visit is at the invitation of UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Ruler of Dubai.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will be accompanied by Saifuddin Nasution, Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will attend the ADSW opening ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony alongside other heads of state and government from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The ADSW 2025, the first major event in the global sustainability calendar, takes place from Jan 12 to 18, with the theme "The Nexus of Next. Supercharging Sustainable Progress”. The ADSW programme will also feature a plenary session in which the Prime Minister will join a dialogue on “ASEAN’s Interconnected Future: Linking Energy, Trade & Prosperity”.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to have audiences with the President of UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, here and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Dubai, to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in various fields of mutual interest.
Besides that, on the sidelines of ADSW, the Prime Minister is scheduled to witness the signing of the Malaysia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This agreement will open up new avenues for trade as well as investment and economic cooperation between both countries.
This is Anwar’s second visit to the UAE since being appointed as the Prime Minister. The first visit was in October 2023.
From January to November 2024, Malaysia's trade with the UAE was valued at RM39.53 billion (US$8.61 billion).
In 2023, the UAE was Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East, with total trade valued at RM39.63 billion (US$8.67 billion).
Malaysia is the UAE’s fourth largest trading partner among ASEAN member states and the 32nd largest globally.
-- BERNAMA
