ADDIS ABABA: Malaysia and Ethiopia have inked four memoranda of understanding, marking the start of a new era in bilateral relations and cooperation.
The MoUs will see both countries working together in air services, health and tourism.
A collaboration document was also signed between Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Addis Ababa City Administration.
The exchange of documents was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Ethiopian counterpart Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, and was a key agenda in Anwar’s visit to the country.
At a joint press conference, Anwar said Malaysia looks forward to exploring new markets, especially Africa, Latin America and beyond, as a trading nation.
He added that Malaysia, which already has strong bilateral relations with Ethiopia, aims to elevate ties, particularly in trade and investment.
"Diplomatic engagements must result in strong economic fundamentals, trade and investments," he said on Wednesday (Nov 19) night.
Abiy Ahmed said Anwar’s visit marks a new chapter in south-south partnership, grounded in a commitment to shared economy, inclusivity, solidarity and human dignity.
"Our two countries form a bridge between Asia and Africa, through cooperation and shared prosperity," he said.
Describing discussions with Anwar as productive and forward-looking, Abiy Ahmad said Ethiopia seeks to deepen cooperation with Malaysia in key areas including investment, banking and finance, and providing skills to youth.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the cooperation between Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Addis Ababa City Administration opens new opportunities for Kuala Lumpur to expand its global network, understand development approaches in East Africa and enhance the city’s technical capacity.
She said the document covers five priority areas: waste management and circular economy; tourism, culture and sports; institutional capacity development; public park management; and flood mitigation and climate resilience.
"These focus areas reflect a shared commitment towards building a more planned, resilient and sustainable city," she added.
