Ankara: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s three-day official visit to Turkiye begins today, with the inaugural Malaysia-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting scheduled tomorrow, slated to be the highlight of the trip.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia’s Ambassador to Turkiye, Sazali Mustafa Kamal, stated that the meeting, co-chaired by Anwar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will serve as the main platform to discuss strategic cooperation across various sectors. A joint statement will be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.
The ambassador highlighted that the council meeting marks a significant milestone in Anwar’s visit, which is undertaken at the invitation of Erdogan and represents Anwar’s first official visit to Turkiye. During the visit, Anwar will be accorded an official welcome at the Presidential Complex before holding a closed-door meeting with Erdogan to discuss strategic issues in Malaysia-Turkiye relations.
Anwar is also scheduled to chair a roundtable meeting with Turkish companies to explore new avenues for economic and trade cooperation, reflecting the MADANI Government’s commitment to strengthening Malaysia-Turkiye economic and trade ties. About 40 Turkish companies from various sectors are expected to participate.
Tomorrow, Anwar will deliver a public lecture titled “Power Shift: Strategic Choices for Malaysia and Turkiye” to professionals, academics, senior Turkish officials, and students. On economic ties, Sazali noted that bilateral trade between Malaysia and Turkiye reached US$5.2 billion in 2024, with a new target set to raise the figure to US$10 billion.
Anwar is accompanied by his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as well as senior government officials including Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Meanwhile, Wisma Putra, in a statement, mentioned that the inaugural Malaysia-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation (HLSC) Council serves as a platform to review bilateral cooperation, assess ongoing initiatives, and explore new collaboration avenues. Discussions are expected to cover various sectors including trade, investment, agriculture, defence, security, energy, and education, among others.
Both leaders will witness the exchange of several key documents, including Memoranda of Understanding on Cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies, cooperation between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of Turkiye, and cooperation between EXIM Bank Malaysia and Turk Eximbank. They will also oversee the signing of agreements between the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, as well as the procurement of a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship.
The official visit underscores Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to deepening ties with Turkiye, following the elevation of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in July 2022. From January to November 2025, Malaysia’s total trade with Turkiye amounted to RM21.2 billion (USD4.92 billion), with Turkiye being a vital economic partner. In 2024, Turkiye was Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner and largest export destination among West Asia countries, with total trade valued at RM24.15 billion (USD5.28 billion).