Addis ababa: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today embarked on a significant diplomatic journey, departing for Ethiopia as the first stop in a three-country tour of Africa. The Prime Minister’s three-day official visit to Addis Ababa is at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, this visit marks Anwar’s inaugural trip to Ethiopia, aligning with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Ethiopia, which were established in January 1965. The Prime Minister departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 12.35 pm on a chartered Malaysia Airlines aircraft.

During his time in Ethiopia, Prime Minister Anwar will be received by Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali in an official welcoming ceremony at the National Palace. Following this, Anwar will lead the Malaysian delegation in a bilateral meeting aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations.

Anwar is joined by key figures, including Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Federal Territory) Datuk Seri Zaliha Mustafa, senior government officials, and a delegation of business leaders. Ethiopia is recognized as the most populous landlocked country globally and holds the position of Malaysia’s 26th largest trading partner in Africa in 2023.

The bilateral trade between Malaysia and Ethiopia reached RM446.8 million, with exports from Malaysia to Ethiopia valued at RM358.6 million, reflecting a 24.6 per cent increase compared to the previous year. After the Ethiopian visit, Prime Minister Anwar will proceed to South Africa for the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, where he is invited as a guest of the G20 President, before concluding his African tour with an official visit to Kenya.