Paris: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on an official visit to France from July 3 to 4, is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with French captains of industry. The event will include companies such as Imerys, Arkema, Airbus, and Thales, focusing on highlighting trade and investment opportunities in Malaysia.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Imerys is a leader in industrial minerals, Arkema is known for specialty materials and high-performance chemicals, Airbus excels in aerospace manufacturing, and Thales is a key player in defence, security, transport, and aerospace systems. Malaysia’s Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, stated the meeting coincides with Anwar’s inaugural visit at President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation and will feature about 180 companies, including Malaysian industry leaders.
Anwar’s delegation includes Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir is also part of the entourage.
Eldeen Husaini mentioned that Anwar will have a one-on-one meeting with Macron at the ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬°lys©e Palace. The agenda will cover trade, investment, renewable energy, semiconductors, defence, education, digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He expressed hopes that the visit will boost investor confidence and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, especially in nuclear and clean energy sectors.
Malaysia’s exports to France saw a slight increase of 0.4 percent to RM6.14 billion in 2024, positioning France as Malaysia’s sixth-largest trading partner within the European Union. As of March, French investments in Malaysia have shown promising results with 358 approved projects in manufacturing and services, potentially creating nearly 24,000 jobs.
According to Eldeen Husaini, the introduction of direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Paris using the Airbus A350 is anticipated to enhance tourism, following a 41.8 percent rise in French tourists visiting Malaysia. He emphasized that the visit seeks to open a new chapter in bilateral relations, stimulate economic growth, and improve Malaysia’s global supply chain competitiveness.
Anwar’s current itinerary includes visits to Italy, France, and Brazil, spanning from July 1 to July 7.