PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today concluded his three-day working visit to Italy with a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi, aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two nations.
During the discussions, both leaders were expected to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations through more comprehensive collaboration.
The meeting encompassed a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation in trade and investment, as well as defence, renewable energy and environmental initiatives, agro-commodities, and the digital economy.
People-to-people exchanges were also on the agenda, with education, cultural cooperation and the tourism sector discussed alongside regional and international matters of mutual interest, notably the situation in the Middle East.
Accompanying the Malaysian Prime Minister were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. Malaysia’s Ambassador to Italy, Datuk Zahid Rastam, was also present.
Anwar arrived in the Italian capital on Tuesday as part of an official tour of Italy, France and Brazil, part of Malaysia’s ongoing diplomatic initiative to deepen bilateral relations and expand economic partnerships globally.
In 2024, total trade between Malaysia and Italy rose by two per cent to RM14.61 billion (USD3.18 billion) compared with the previous year. Between January and May 2025, trade further increased by 3.3 per cent year-on-year, reaching RM6.5 billion (USD1.48 billion). Italy remains Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner and the third-largest importer of Malaysian palm oil within the European Union.
Following his engagements in Rome, Anwar is scheduled to travel to Paris, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. He will then proceed to Rio de Janeiro to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. - July 3, 2025
