PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has returned to Malaysia following a series of high-level visits to Italy, France and Brazil, aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and enhancing trade and investment opportunities.
The Prime Minister departed Rio de Janeiro on a chartered Malaysia Airlines flight from Galeão Air Force Base (BAGL) at 1.00 pm local time (midnight Monday Malaysian time), bringing to a close his official engagements across three strategic economic hubs.
Beginning with a three-day visit to Rome at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Anwar’s diplomatic tour was part of Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to fortify bilateral partnerships and broaden economic cooperation on the global stage.
“The visits were to further strengthen bilateral relations between the countries across a wide range of sectors,” Bernama reported Anwar saying.
The three nations visited—Italy, France and Brazil—accounted for a combined bilateral trade volume of RM50.91 billion (USD11.14 billion) in 2023.
Accompanying the Prime Minister was a prominent business delegation representing key Malaysian corporations and innovation-led enterprises, including Petronas, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Maybank, FGV, YTL Power, and Sunway.
In Rome, Anwar was joined by five Cabinet ministers: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir also took part in the mission.
In Paris, Anwar held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, where discussions centred on trade, technology, education, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
His programme in the French capital included a roundtable session with major French industrial players, engagement with Muslim community leaders, a dialogue with Malaysian citizens residing in France, and a public lecture delivered at Sorbonne University on 4 July.
Following the Paris leg, the Prime Minister travelled to Rio de Janeiro to attend the 17th BRICS Summit, held at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Malaysia participated as a BRICS Partner Country, in line with its role as ASEAN Chair in 2025. The Prime Minister used the platform to underscore the need for rules-based multilateralism, responsible governance of artificial intelligence, concerted climate action, and equitable access to global healthcare.
“Malaysia’s role as a BRICS Partner Country and ASEAN Chair for 2025 was to emphasise the importance of multilateralism based on law, governance of artificial intelligence, climate action, and global health, representing the aspirations of over 650 million ASEAN citizens.”
Anwar’s presence at the summit reflected Malaysia’s growing engagement with major global coalitions, and its commitment to advancing regional and global cooperation through principled diplomacy. - July 8, 2025
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