PARIS: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to meet with France's top two leaders on the second day of his official visit to the country on Friday (July 4).
Having arrived on Thursday, Anwar is scheduled for a morning meeting with his counterpart, Francois Bayrou. He was earlier accorded an official welcome at the Hôtel des Invalides.
"Honoured to receive an official ceremonial welcome from the Government of France, a meaningful and dignified gesture that reflects the longstanding friendship and mutual respect between Malaysia and France.
"As we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, Malaysia remains steadfast in working with partners such as France to champion multilateralism, reinforce peace and stability, and build a more just and sustainable future for all," the Prime Minister remarked.
This evening, Anwar is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, with key agenda items including trade, investment, renewable energy, semiconductors, defence, education, digital economy, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Both leaders are also expected to touch on the crisis in the Middle East, especially the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Anwar will also join the Muslim community leaders here for Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris, one of the oldest mosques in France.
Further strengthening bilateral relations, the Prime Minister will deliver a lecture titled 'Southeast Asia and Europe: Recalibrating the Terms of Engagement' at the prestigious Sorbonne University, a world-renowned institution in the intellectual and cultural spheres.
Anwar's delegation includes Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Also accompanying the Prime Minister is Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
As part of the plan to attract global investment, especially from France, Anwar is also scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with French captains of industry. Among the companies are Imerys, Arkema, Airbus and Thales.
France remains one of Malaysia's top five trading partners within the European Union. In 2024, bilateral trade totalled RM15.95bil (US$3.63bil), with RM6.26bil (US$1.49bil) recorded between January and May this year.
Following his engagements in France, Anwar will head to Brazil to attend the BRICS Leaders Summit from July 5 to 7. - Bernama
