MALAYSIA has signalled a decisive shift towards a more strategic partnership with Ethiopia, offering expanded market access and agricultural expertise while seeking deeper cooperation across trade, investment, education and emerging industries.
Speaking after a four-cornered meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia is ready to open access for exports of “chicken, birds nest and animal feed” to Ethiopia, alongside technical assistance in oil palm cultivation and “high-quality seedlings”.
He added: “I also proposed a review of import tariff rates on Malaysian palm oil products, which are gaining traction in the Ethiopian market.”
Anwar said both leaders agreed to broaden cooperation in tourism, education, health, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and research, noting that Malaysia would continue to support Ethiopia’s economic reform agenda through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP).
“We reaffirmed our commitment to elevate bilateral relations to a more strategic phase, encompassing expanded trade, investment, human capital development and enhanced cooperation in new economic sectors,” he said.
He welcomed concrete progress from the talks, including plans to initiate a regular consultation mechanism and pursue wider initiatives to improve development and connectivity between both nations.
“I also highlighted the vast potential in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, the halal industry, cybersecurity and emerging opportunities through a memorandum of understanding framework between the business chambers of both nations.
“Malaysia also welcomes more active participation from Ethiopian companies in trade missions and business-matching activities,” he said.
Anwar expressed appreciation for Ethiopia’s backing of Malaysia’s aspiration to join BRICS and congratulated Addis Ababa on being selected host of the COP32 climate summit in 2027, calling it “a major recognition of its leadership in the global green agenda”.
He added, “I am confident the Malaysia–Ethiopia cooperation will continue to grow for the benefit of our peoples and for a more prosperous, inclusive and competitive future,” describing the bilateral meeting as “substantive and deeply meaningful”.
Ethiopia, the world’s most populous landlocked nation, ranked as Malaysia’s 26th-largest African trading partner in 2024.
The country is the first stop on Anwar’s tour of the continent, which continues in Johannesburg from 20 to 23 November for the G20 Leaders Summit, before he travels to Nairobi from 23 to 24 November.
He is accompanied by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa. - November 20, 2025
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