PM arrives in Paris for two-day official visit
The aircraft carrying Anwar and his delegation landed at Pavillon d'Honneur Orly Airport at 4.10pm local time from Rome.
He was received on arrival by Malaysia's Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini, and senior French government officials.
Eldeen earlier told the media that the visit carries official status and reflects France's strong commitment to diplomatic ties with Malaysia since Anwar assumed office as Prime Minister in 2022.
This evening, Anwar is scheduled to engage with some 250 members of the Malaysian diaspora in the country.
On Friday, he will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. Key agenda items include trade, investment, renewable energy, semiconductors, defence, education, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Both leaders are also expected to discuss the Middle East crisis, particularly the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Prime Minister will join Muslim community leaders for Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris, one of the oldest mosques in France.
He will also deliver a keynote lecture titled 'Southeast Asia and Europe: Recalibrating the Terms of Engagement' at Sorbonne University, a world-renowned institution known for its contributions to intellectual and cultural life.
Anwar is accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Transport Minister Anthony Loke; Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu; Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin; and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
As part of efforts to attract global investment, particularly from France, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with leading French industry players.
Among the participating 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 between the two countries totalled RM15.95 billion, with RM6.26 billion recorded between January and May this year.
Following his visit to France, Anwar will depart for Brazil to attend the BRICS Leaders' Summit from July 5 to 7.
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