KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will make a three-day official visit to the Philippines beginning tomorrow.
Wisma Putra, in a statement today, said the official visit is a manifestation of the close bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Philippines, as both countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
It said Ahmad Zahid will be accompanied by senior officials from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, Education Ministry, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), Civil Defence Force and representatives from Malaysia’s public universities.
He is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr and Vice President Sara Duterte, said the statement.
“As the minister responsible for disaster management, the Deputy Prime Minister will lead the Malaysian delegation to attend the 10th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR).
“The Deputy Prime Minister will be delivering a national statement regarding initiatives, implementation, achievements, and challenges in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030,“ the statement said.
It said Ahmad Zahid will also attend the ministerial reception hosted by Marcos.
The statement added that the Rural and Regional Development Minister is scheduled to have an engagement with relevant stakeholders in the education sector to discuss collaboration in education, especially in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as skills development.
In 2023, the Philippines was Malaysia’s 17th largest trading partner in the world and the fifth largest trading partner among ASEAN, with a total value recorded at RM36.12 billion (US$7.92 billion).
From January to July 2024, total trade increased by 5.9 per cent, valued at RM22.41 billion (US$4.75 billion), in comparison to RM20.08 billion (US$4.48 billion) in the corresponding period in 2023.
