Rome: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is concluding his three-day working visit to Italy with a key bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi today. During this meeting, the two leaders are expected to reaffirm their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations through comprehensive cooperation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the discussions will encompass a wide range of issues, including bilateral cooperation in economic sectors such as trade and investment, as well as collaboration in defense, renewable energy, the environment, agro-commodities, and the digital sector. Additionally, they will address people-to-people cooperation, focusing on education, cultural exchanges, and the tourism sector. Regional and international issues of mutual concern, such as the situation in the Middle East, will also be on the agenda.
Prime Minister Anwar will be joined at the bilateral meeting by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. Malaysia’s Ambassador to Italy, Datuk Zahid Rastam, will also be in attendance.
Anwar’s visit to Italy is part of a broader itinerary that includes France and Brazil, reflecting Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and promote economic cooperation on a global scale. In 2024, total trade between Malaysia and Italy increased by two percent, reaching RM14.61 billion (USD3.18 billion), compared to 2023. Between January and May 2025, trade grew by 3.3 percent year-on-year to RM6.5 billion (US$1.48 billion). Italy remains Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner and the third-largest importer of Malaysian palm oil among European Union member states in 2024.
Following his visit to Italy, Anwar will depart for Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron during his two-day stay. Subsequently, he will attend the 17th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, following an invitation from Brazilian President Luiz In¡cio Lula da Silva.