Malaysian Prime Minister conveys invitation during bilateral talks with President at UNGA
New avenues for trade, economic cooperation through FTA
Malaysian Foreign Minister to attend IORA meeting in Colombo next month
Malaysia has extended a formal invitation to President Ranil Wickremesinghe for a State visit there. An official invitation for the President to undertake a State visit has been extended by Malaysia’s King Abdullah of Pahang. The President has expressed his intent to schedule the visit during the early months of the upcoming year, either January or February.
The King’s invitation was personally conveyed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York on Wednesday (20).
During their meeting, the Malaysian Prime Minister expressed his desire to bolster economic ties between the two nations. He emphasized Malaysia’s eagerness to facilitate increased investments from Malaysian companies in Sri Lanka. In a promising move, the Malaysian Prime Minister also expressed positivity towards Sri Lanka’s request to commence negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, which could potentially open up new avenues for trade and economic cooperation.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the Malaysian Foreign Minister is set to attend the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) meeting in Colombo next month, underscoring Malaysia’s commitment to regional cooperation and engagement.
In a gesture of solidarity and collaboration, Malaysia has agreed to support Sri Lanka’s application to become a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a major regional trade agreement.
This invitation and the ensuing discussions mark a significant step in strengthening the diplomatic and economic relationship between Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The State visit holds the promise of enhancing cooperation in various domains and fostering mutual prosperity.
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry PC, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Foreign Ministry Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and UN Permanent Representative Mohan Peiris, and other senior officials from Sri Lanka and Malaysia participated.
