Anwar invites Ethiopia to open embassy in KL

 The two countries also agree to hold their first bilateral consultation in Kuala Lumpur next year.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Ethiopian counterpart, Abiy Ahmed, at their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, today.

NEW DELHI:

Malaysia has invited Ethiopia to open an embassy in Kuala Lumpur as both countries seek to further strengthen ties following a series of high-level visits.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim extended the invitation after meeting his Ethiopian counterpart, Abiy Ahmed, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit here today.

The two leaders agreed to hold the first Malaysia-Ethiopia bilateral consultation to discuss bilateral issues and find new areas of cooperation in Kuala Lumpur next year.

Anwar and Abiy also spoke about ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment and several growing industries.

They discussed cooperation in halal products, agriculture, food security, and pharmaceuticals, and explored opportunities in digital services, renewable energy, and tourism.

Anwar welcomed the closer ties between the two countries following reciprocal visits by the two prime ministers over the past two years.

Abiy visited Malaysia in 2024, and Anwar made an official visit to Ethiopia in 2025.

Malaysia also reopened its embassy in Addis Ababa in September last year, 43 years after it was closed.

Last year, Anwar reiterated Malaysia’s readiness to expand trade with Ethiopia, saying the African nation’s reforms, logistics aspirations, and young, dynamic workforce serve as a strong foundation for deeper cooperation.

Ethiopia was Malaysia’s 26th largest trading partner in Africa in 2023, with bilateral trade amounting to RM446.8 million.

Trade between the two nations grew strongly by 40.1% in 2024 to reach RM626 million, but it remains relatively modest. - FMT