Come set up shop in KL, Anwar says to Ethiopia after decades apart

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (right) meets his Ethiopian counterparty, Abiy Ahmed Ali on the sidelines of the 18th BricsLeaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India on September 12, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Saturday, 12 Sep 2026 5:48 PM MYT

NEW DELHI, Sept 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim extended an invitation to Ethiopia to establish an Embassy in Kuala Lumpur during his bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Malaysia’s reopening of its embassy in Addis Ababa in September 2025, after 43 years, marked significant progress in bilateral relations.

The discussion also touched on the positive momentum generated by reciprocal visits by both leaders. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited Malaysia in 2024, while Anwar visited Ethiopia in 2025.

The Prime Minister said it has been agreed that the first Bilateral Consultation will take place in Kuala Lumpur next year to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Other areas of cooperation discussed included halal products, agriculture, food security, pharmaceuticals, digital services, renewable energy and tourism.

Anwar also expressed his appreciation for Ethiopia’s support for Malaysia’s engagement with Brics during the bilateral meeting that took place on the sidelines of the 18th Brics Leaders’ Summit here.

Malaysia’s participation in the Summit is in its capacity as a Brics Partner Country, a status it has held since Jan 1, 2025.

Ethiopia, the world’s most populous landlocked country, ranked as Malaysia’s 26th-largest trading partner in the African continent in 2023.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Ethiopia stood at RM446.8 million in 2023, with Malaysia’s exports to Ethiopia valued at RM358.6 million, representing a 24.6 per cent increase from the previous year. — Bernama

* Editor’s note: Brics is a bloc of major emerging economies that originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but has since expanded to include countries such as Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran and the UAE.