Saifuddin: Malaysia, Qatar to explore joint business opportunities

Qatar is Malaysia’s 6th-largest trading partner, export destination and source of imports among the West Asia countries

 

by ANIS HAZIM / pic BERNAMA

MALAYSIA and Qatar have agreed to explore and jointly cooperate in trading and investing for both countries.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (right) said there are enormous potentials in economic ties for both countries to capitalise on.

“I strongly encourage Qatari companies to continue expanding their footprint in Malaysia, especially to expand their investments in real estate development, food industry and rubber-based industry,” Saifuddin told a press conference after hosting Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Thani (left) last Friday.

He noted that Qatar is Malaysia’s sixth largest trading partner, export destination and source of imports among the West Asia countries.

“Looking ahead, Malaysia looks forward to working with Qatar in strengthening economic cooperation, especially boosting the trade value to a higher level,” he added.

“Looking ahead, Malaysia looks forward to working with Qatar in strengthening economic cooperation, especially boosting the trade value to a higher level,” he added.

Moreover, Malaysia is also keen to strengthen further its bilateral ties with Qatar to bring the relations to greater heights and elevate them to the strategic partnership level in the near future.

“Looking at how Malaysia and Qatar can extend our bilateral relations with other countries because international trade is becoming more complex and sometimes we also have to think of new ways of doing things besides the normal bilateral relations,” he said.

Sheikh Mohammed said both Malaysia and Qatar have to strengthen their economic relationship to achieve their high level of ambitions for both countries.

“Qatar very much welcomes Malaysian companies to come and operate and to use our facilities and infrastructure as a hub for them in the region,” he said.

Both ministers also agreed to convene the first high-level joint committee in 2023 in Doha to intensify high-level visits between both sides.

Meanwhile, highlighting the situation in Palestine and Afghanistan, Saifuddin said Malaysia and Qatar are on the same page on these issues as well as other crises that are happening currently.

“Malaysia will not normalise relations with Israel and will continue to highlight the plight of Palestinians in all avenues and fora,” he added.

He said Malaysia plans to organise a special programme with Palestine on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly.

“We are very much concerned about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and we are very much welcome to work together on the humanitarian front over there (Palestine and Afghanistan),” Sheikh Mohammed added.