Anwar to visit UAE January 12-14, participate in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

ABU DHABI, Jan 11 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake a working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Jan 12 to 14, among others to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) here.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement today said Anwar’s participation in ADSW is at the invitation of UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who is also Ruler of Dubai.

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 Middle East.

The ADSW 2025 programme will also feature a plenary session where the prime minister will join a dialogue on “Asean’s Interconnected Future: Linking Energy, Trade & Prosperity”.

The prime minister will also highlight Malaysia’s experience and perspectives on advancing sustainable energy sources.

“During the visit, the prime minister is scheduled to have audiences with the President of UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in various fields of mutual interest.

“…with emphasis on key sectors such as in renewable energy, food and energy security, artificial intelligence and data centres. Regional and global issues of importance are also expected to be discussed,” according to the statement.

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.

As Asean Chair for 2025, the prime minister will also seek to strengthen regional cooperation, particularly in the context of Asean’s role in promoting sustainable development and green innovation across South-east Asia.

During the visit, prime minister will be accompanied by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail; Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz; and Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

On Jan 14, the prime minister will depart for London, United Kingdom to continue his official engagements, furthering Malaysia’s global standing and enhancing its strategic relations with key international partners.

From January to November 2024, Malaysia’s trade with the UAE was valued at RM39.53 billion (US$8.61 billion).

In 2023, 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 was UAE’s fourth largest trading partner among Asean member states and the 32nd largest globally. — Bernama