Sheikh Mohammed welcomes Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday met Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, in the presence of Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE. The Malaysian Prime Minister is on an official visit to the UAE, heading a high-level delegation.

Welcoming the Malaysian Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation at Za’abeel Palace in Dubai, His Highness highlighted the strong historical ties between the UAE and Malaysia. He also reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations to serve the interests of both nations and the aspirations of their peoples.

During the meeting, His Highness commended the significant progress in bilateral cooperation and the shared ambition to further strengthening these ties. He underscored the importance of exchanging expertise and leveraging successful development experiences, while encouraging the private sector to explore new opportunities, particularly in investment, trade, tourism, and travel, capitalising on the distinct strengths of both nations.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, and Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his pleasure in visiting the UAE and lauded the country’s remarkable achievements across various fields. He highlighted Malaysia’s interest in enhancing collaboration and drawing on the UAE’s pioneering expertise in development, innovation, and sustainability.

During the meeting, the two leaders explored ways to expand the UAE-Malaysia strategic partnership, with a focus on sustainable development and future-readiness. The meeting also explored opportunities for cooperation in several key areas, including renewable energy, food security, technology, and data centres, aiming to advance mutual interests and support the sustainable development goals of both nations.

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Prime Minister of Malaysia also exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.

The meeting was also attended by Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of HH The Dubai Ruler’s Court; Dr. Mubarak Saeed Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Malaysia, and the Malaysian Prime Minister’s accompanying delegation.

Malaysia ranks as the UAE’s 12th largest trading partner in Asia and the fifth among ASEAN countries, while the UAE is Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner in the Arab world. Non-oil trade between the two nations exceeded $4.9 billion in 2023, with the first half of 2024 alone recording $2.5 billion in non-oil trade.

PM of Finland: Sheikh Mohammed also met Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland, according to WAM.

The meeting held at the Za’abeel Palace in Dubai explored new avenues for cooperation between the two nations in several vital sectors to advance mutual development goals.

During the meeting, held in the presence of Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid expressed the UAE’s pride in its longstanding ties with Finland, spanning five decades of diplomatic relations. He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening these ties by exploring new opportunities to enhance their strategic partnership across key sectors.

His Highness highlighted the UAE’s aspirations to enhance collaboration with Finland in sectors such as education, healthcare, circular economy, technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, space, and telecommunications. Sheikh Mohammed also emphasised the importance of providing incentives and support to the private sectors of both nations to unlock new opportunities and expand the scope of their partnership.