ADDIS ABABA: Work will start right away on setting up a Malaysia-Ethiopia Business Chamber to boost trade and investment between the two countries, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz (pic).
The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said the formation of a joint business chamber and the request to facilitate Islamic financing are among the outcomes reached at the inaugural Malaysia-Ethiopia High Level Business Forum held in conjunction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit here.
“For Malaysia, the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be the secretariat (to oversee the establishment of the Malaysia-Ethiopia Business Chamber),” he told Malaysian media.
Tengku Zafrul said the idea of a joint business chamber was supported by Anwar and Ethiopia’s President Taye Atske Selassie.
At the forum, Ethiopian delegates proposed forming a joint business chamber to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.
On the request for Malaysia to share its expertise in finance, especially Islamic finance, Tengku Zafrul said the Prime Minister wants the opportunity to be studied and leveraged, as Ethiopia has opened its financial industry.
He noted Ethiopia’s potential, citing last year’s 9% gross domestic product growth, as well as a population of about 130 million, mostly young people.
“This gives the opportunity for Malaysian investment and export access to a big and growing market,” he said.
