PM Anwar arrives in Rome for a three-day official visit
The aircraft carrying the Prime Minister landed at Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport at 8.18pm (2.18 am Wednesday, Malaysia time).
On hand to welcome Anwar at the airport were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Malaysia's Ambassador to Italy Datuk Zahid Rastam, Italian Senior Ambassador for Protocol Affairs Fabrizio Romano and former Italian Ambassador to Malaysia Massimo Rustico.
Anwar said he hoped the visit would strengthen Malaysia-Italy ties and deepen strategic cooperation, as well as to elevate ASEAN-EU engagement in a challenging global landscape.
"This visit, which comes at the invitation of my counterpart, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the long-standing bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Italy based on the principles and spirit of friendship, trust and mutual respect.
"Malaysia sees Italy as an important strategic partner in the European continent and we are committed to expanding cooperation in trade and investment, defence industry and the energy transition sector," said Anwar.
Furthermore, as ASEAN Chairman, Anwar said this visit will also enhance the value of the relationship between the Southeast Asian region and Europe in the increasingly challenging geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape.
"I am confident that this visit will open a new chapter that is more dynamic, yielding concrete benefits and taking Malaysia-Italy relations to a new and higher level," he added.
During the visit, Anwar is accompanied by Mohamad, 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 Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Also part of the delegation is Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
Immediately upon arrival at the capital, Anwar and delegation attended a gathering with Malaysian diaspora in the country.
On July 3, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his counterpart at Chigi Palace.
According to Zahid, the meeting will provide an opportunity for both leaders to take stock of the current state of Malaysia-Italy relations and explore avenues to further strengthen cooperation, particularly in the fields of economy, defence technology, and energy.
The two leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the ASEAN-Italy Development Partnership, ASEAN-European Union Dialogue Relations, and the situation in the Middle East.
As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Anwar is expected to also highlight Malaysia's priorities and ASEAN's efforts in addressing regional and global challenges.
The Prime Minister will also officiate the Malaysia-Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable on Wednesday, which will bring together industry leaders from both countries to explore trade and investment collaboration.
During the business engagement event, Anwar is set to meet captains of Industry from 36 Italian firms, including multinational companies such as Leonardo SpA, STMicroelectronics and Ferrero.
Italy is the third-largest national economy in the EU and the world's eighth-largest by gross domestic product.
He is also scheduled to meet leaders of the local Muslim community.
Malaysia and Italy enjoy longstanding and multifaceted relations, underpinned by strong economic ties, growing trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges.
– MORE
In 2024, total trade between Malaysia and Italy recorded a two per cent increase, reaching RM14.61 billion (USD3.18 billion) compared with 2023.
For the period of January to May 2025, total trade grew by 3.3 per cent year-on-year to RM6.5 billion (USD1.48 billion).
Italy remains Malaysia's fifth largest trading partner and third largest importer of Malaysian palm oil among European Union member states in 2024.
The Prime Minister will undertake an official visit to France on July 3 and 4, 2025 concluding his visit to Italy. – BERNAMA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysian Reserve
42 minutes ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Government gives priority to projects that benefit the rakyat, says PM Anwar
ROME — The MADANI Government is willing to take hard and sometimes unpopular decisions to ensure development and projects that benefit the rakyat can be implemented, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar, who is here on a three-day working visit, said despite criticism over government's move to implement certain policies such as subsidy rationalisation or tariff, they needed to be carried out for the benefit of the people. 'All governments, all prime ministers in the past talk about taking away subsidies from foreigners, but none took the right action,' he said at the Majlis Ramah Mesra Bersama Diaspora Malaysia here tonight (Tuesday, July 1). The premier said various actions taken by the government, including subsidies and tax rationalisations were implemented to build more schools, universities and hospitals that will help the masses. During the dinner, Anwar also shared that various programmes and policies are being undertaken by his government to ensure the country remains competitive. 'To our diaspora in Italy, you are our ambassadors and our asset. You have a big role to play in bringing Malayia into the international platform. 'Therefore, I leave a message for you to continue to seize every opportunity and space to strengthen your knowledge, skills and networks in order to contribute back to the homeland, good governance,' he said. Also present at the dinner were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Malaysia's Ambassador to Italy Datuk Zahid Rastam, 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 Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. — BERNAMA
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Laos makes global call for stronger domestic resource mobilisation
Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith addresses the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain. VIENTIANE: The government has called for greater efforts to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation as a key step towards achieving sustainable development and reducing reliance on foreign aid. Speaking at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, taking place from June 30 to July 3, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said Laos is reforming its public finance system and increasing tax collection through digital technology, human resource development, and improved budget management. The government has set an ambitious target to raise tax revenue to 20 percent of gross domestic product by 2030. In the first six months of this year, tax collection rose by 4.3 percent and accounted for 11.7 percent of GDP, according to a report presented at the National Assembly's recent ordinary session. During the conference, Saleumxay addressed a high-level roundtable meeting on domestic resource mobilisation and allocation. He said that for least developed countries such as Laos, building effective tax systems is vital to meeting national development needs and reducing reliance on external loans and grants. He urged development partners and the international community to provide greater financial and technical support, including help to strengthen human resources and international tax cooperation, to enhance domestic financing capacity. The deputy prime minister also spoke during the conference's general debate, delivering remarks on behalf of Asean and Laos. He expressed strong support for the adoption of the Seville Commitment, the final outcome document of the conference, which lays out shared goals to close financing gaps, tackle inequality, and drive progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Saleumxay reaffirmed Asean's priorities in building future-ready economies through inclusive participation and sustainability, upholding multilateral trade under World Trade Organisation rules, and advancing regional industrial development and energy connectivity. He highlighted Laos' ongoing efforts to graduate from Least Developed Country status and pursue closer integration with the regional and global economy. Laos is aligning its national strategies with international development goals, he said, and called for continued support from global partners to ensure long-term progress. The conference brings together leaders and representatives from 179 countries. Previous meetings took place in Mexico in 2002, Qatar in 2008, and Ethiopia in 2015. The opening ceremony on June 30 was graced by His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, who delivered an address. The meeting then continued under the co-chairmanship of Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The Seville Commitment was officially adopted and will serve as a roadmap for future international cooperation in financing sustainable development. - Vientiane Times/ANN
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Borneo Post
Malaysia remains committed to principles of free, open trade, says Anwar
Anwar says the commitment was conveyed when he and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired the Malaysia-Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable session in Rome today. – Bernama photo ROME (July 2): Malaysia remains committed to the principles of free and open trade as the core to inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic growth. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that in an increasingly challenging global landscape, international stability and peace are an important foundation for economic prosperity as well as cross-border synergy opportunities that the business community must fully exploit. He said the commitment was conveyed when he and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired the Malaysia-Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable session here today. The session brought together more than 100 companies from both countries, covering the manufacturing, services and trade sectors, as well as industry agencies and organisations. 'This session reflects a shared commitment to strengthen trade relations and open up wider strategic investment space between Malaysia and Italy,' said Anwar. According to the Prime Minister, this session also strengthened the confidence of Italian industry players in Malaysia's openness policy, efficient governance and economic competitiveness. He said the active participation of leading companies highlights the potential for higher-impact bilateral cooperation, centered on added value, innovation and mutual interests. It opens up broad prospects in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, carbon capture and storage technology, defence, digital economy, aerospace and high-tech industries, key areas that are pillars of the country's economic reform agenda, he added. – Bernama Antonio Tajani anwar ibrahim Malaysia-Italy Economic Partnership Roundtable
