Malaysia, Egypt agree to deepen trade, investment ties during Sisi visit

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held bilateral talks Saturday, focusing on expanding trade, investment, and strategic cooperation during the Egyptian leader's first state visit to Malaysia since taking office in 2014.

The leaders met privately at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya before broader discussions covering bilateral relations and regional and international developments, the state-owned Bernama news agency reported.

The two countries are seeking closer cooperation in semiconductors, automotive manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, digital technology, and the halal industry.

They also discussed the Palestinian issue and regional security, including maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The visit included the exchange of four memoranda of understanding aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Earlier, Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim conferred the Order of the Crown of the Realm on Sisi during a ceremony at the national palace, according to the report.

Bilateral trade volume reached $870 million in January-August 2026, up 74.7% from the corresponding period last year, exceeding the $720 million recorded throughout 2025.

Egypt was Malaysia's seventh-largest African trading partner last year, the report said.

The countries established diplomatic relations in 1959 and agreed in November 2024 to work toward a strategic partnership.

Sisi's visit marks the first by an Egyptian president in nearly three decades, following Hosni Mubarak's visit in 1997.