ISTANBUL: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s three-day official visit to Turkiye marked a significant milestone, particularly with the establishment of the Malaysia-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
The inaugural HLSCC meeting, jointly chaired by Anwar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, reflected the strength of diplomatic ties between the two countries and their commitment to expand strategic cooperation covering investment, trade, defence and education for mutual benefit.
A Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the HLSCC was signed by both leaders, signifying agreement to elevate bilateral relations to the highest level and opening a new chapter in Malaysia-Turkiye cooperation.
At a press conference to conclude the official visit on Thursday, Anwar said the establishment of the HLSCC places Malaysia among a small group of countries trusted by Turkiye to engage in strategic cooperation at the highest level.
“This is an exciting beginning, as not many countries have bilateral relations at this level, given that the council is co-chaired by the President and the Prime Minister,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama yesterday.
During the visit, Anwar also held a four-eyed meeting with Erdogan, focusing on efforts to strengthen Malaysia-Turkiye diplomatic relations and an exchange of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Both leaders witnessed the signing of seven documents to enhance strategic cooperation between Malaysia and Turkiye.
Among the documents signed were a letter of acceptance for the procurement of a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship 2 between Malaysia’s Home Ministry and Desan Shipyard, as well as a memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority of Turkiye in the field of information and communications technology.
Anwar also received a courtesy call from Turkiye’s Defence Industry Secretary Prof Dr Haluk Gorgun to discuss efforts to strengthen defence cooperation, including capability development, technology transfer, as well as training and human capital development.
In addition, Anwar attended a roundtable meeting with industry captains involving 46 companies from Turkiye and Malaysia spanning the defence and aerospace, semiconductor and electronics, automotive and electric vehicle, as well as halal industries, to explore new cooperation avenues.
Anwar’s first official visit to Turkiye was further marked by a meaningful moment when he was conferred the Order of the Republic medal by Erdogan, in recognition of his role in strengthening Malaysia’s relations with the republic.
