KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia appreciates Egypt’s efforts in supporting the country’s participation as a partner country of BRICS, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said this during a courtesy call on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace (Heliopolis) in Cairo, Egypt, today, adding that in addition to BRICS, his meeting with Abdel Fattah also touched on various matters “aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between our two nations.”
“We explored opportunities across multiple key sectors, including investment, trade, palm oil, the halal industry, education, tourism, health, and the development of natural resources and renewable energy,” Anwar said in a posting on social media platform X.
“I conveyed Malaysia’s appreciation for Egypt’s support in our participation in BRICS, underscoring our shared commitment to fostering greater economic collaboration and sustainable development,” he added.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, is currently on a four-day official visit to Egypt.
On Oct 24, Malaysia was recognised as a BRICS partner country, along with 12 other countries, namely Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Anwar had expressed Malaysia’s desire to join BRICS during a discussion with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on June 18 this year.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, was established in 2009 as a cooperation platform for rapidly developing economies. South Africa joined in 2010. The bloc later expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
BRICS represents about 40% of the global population and contributes a cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) of US$26.6 trillion, or 26.2%, to world GDP, almost equaling the economic strength of the Group of Seven (G7) countries.
