SEPANG: The President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, departed for Macau Thursday (June 5) after concluding a three-day official visit to Malaysia, which marked the first-ever visit by a head of state from Guinea-Bissau.
Embalo was given a red-carpet ceremonial send-off at the Bunga Raya Complex of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with a guard of honour mounted by 28 officers and personnel from the First Battalion Royal Ranger Regiment (Ceremonial), led by Lieutenant Muhammad Safwan Abdullah.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani was present to bid farewell to Embalo and his delegation. Their special aircraft took off at 11.55am.
Yesterday, Malaysia and Guinea-Bissau reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with focus areas including the halal industry, Islamic finance, energy and capacity building.
On international affairs, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim highlighted Embalo’s strong diplomatic ties with key global powers, including the United Arab Emirates, France, Russia, the United States, and several African nations.
Anwar also described Malaysia’s ties with Guinea-Bissau as a strategic gateway for expanding the nation’s presence across the African continent, positioning the West African republic as a vital entry point for trade, investment and diplomatic engagement.
During his visit, Embalo spent some time enjoying a scenic cruise around the man-made Putrajaya Lake for a view of the majestic buildings of Putrajaya and visited the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia and Guinea-Bissau established diplomatic relations in November 1974.
Bilateral ties between the two countries remain cordial, underpinned by a shared commitment to cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
In 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with Guinea-Bissau reached RM4.1mil, with Malaysia's exports to Guinea-Bissau valued at RM4.04mil and imports at RM0.06mil. - Bernama
