KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake an official visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from tomorrow to Sunday.
The visit is at the invitation of President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, according to a Foreign Ministry’s statement.
The Prime Minister is leaving from Doha, Qatar, where he is undertaking an official visit at the invitation of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
Accompanying him on the Central Asian visit are Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz; Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir will join the delegation in Kyrgyzstan.
In the Kyrgyz Republic, the Prime Minister will be received in a full state welcoming ceremony before meeting Japarov to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of concern to both countries.
At the request of the Kyrgyz government, the Prime Minister will also visit the indigenous community’s craft and wares exhibit at Ala Archa National Park.
Malaysia-Kyrgyz total trade registered at RM162.3 million in 2023, a 312.6 per cent increase compared with 2022. Malaysia exported RM161.1 million worth of goods to the Kyrgyz Republic in 2023 and imported RM1.22 million worth of electrical and electronic products, as well as chemical and chemical products.
In Kazakhstan, where Tokayev will host the Prime Minister, Anwar is expected to attend a Kazakhstan-Malaysia Investment Roundtable with a number of Kazakh industry players. The Prime Minister will meet with Tokayev on Friday to discuss matters of importance to both countries and exchange views on regional and international issues.
Malaysia’s total trade with Kazakhstan in 2023 stood at RM474.5 million, with RM465.6 million being exports of Malaysian goods to Kazakhstan and RM8.9 million being the value of imports from Kazakhstan.
In Uzbekistan, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet Mirziyoyev to discuss bilateral relations and explore potential areas of cooperation.
Anwar will visit the Imam Hazrati Complex, where the original manuscript of the Caliph Usman Quran (Mashaf Uthmani) – the oldest in the world – is displayed.
From Tashkent, the Prime Minister will travel to Samarkand on Saturday, where he is expected to address the High-Level Uzbekistan-Malaysian Business Forum held at the Silk Road Samarkand Tourism Complex.
The forum, hosted by Uzbekistan, will also be attended by Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov.
In 2023, Malaysia-Uzbekistan’s total trade was RM451.1 million, with exports to Uzbekistan amounting to RM449 million and imports amounting to RM1.99 million.
— Bernama
