KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani today held an in-depth and constructive discussion on further strengthening the longstanding bilateral ties between the two nations.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit.
“(Malaysia-Qatar) have an enduring friendship that has flourished over the past five decades and continues to grow with time,” Anwar said in a post on Facebook.
He said the discussion covered strategic areas including investment, trade, defence cooperation, energy, digital connectivity industry, and education.
Anwar said both parties also agreed to explore new cooperation opportunities for the mutual benefit of their people and expedite several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) that have yet to be finalised between the two nations.
“Malaysia remains committed to further strengthening this close relationship. May the friendship between Malaysia and Qatar remain strong and enduring, Insya-Allah,” said Anwar.
The Qatari delegation includes Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal Thani Al-Thani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, as well as Chief of the Amiri Diwan Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi.
Qatar is a member of the GCC, which also includes Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The ASEAN-GCC Summit, first held in 2023 in Riyadh, serves as a platform to enhance cooperation between Southeast Asia and the Gulf region.
