On the eve of the visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim to Uzbekistan, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Kuala Lumpur Karomiddin Gadoyev expressed his opinion on the current state and prospects of relations between the two countries:
– Uzbekistan and Malaysia pay special attention to the accelerated and effective development of a comprehensive dialogue. The visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Uzbekistan aims to intensify cooperation in various fields and implement large joint projects in priority areas. Despite the distance, our countries are connected by shared values, such as the similarity of cultures and religions, the similarity of traditions, and tolerance.
This year marks the 32nd anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Tashkent and Kuala Lumpur. On January 1, 1992, Malaysia became the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize Uzbekistan’s independence.
High-level official visits to Malaysia were organized in 1992 and 2005 and to Uzbekistan from 1993 to 2008. These visits laid the foundation for the development of friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation. During the visits, intergovernmental documents were signed on several promising areas. In 2003, the King of Malaysia, Syed Sirajuddin, visited Uzbekistan.
Relations have strengthened significantly in recent years, and many positive results have been achieved. The political dialogue has intensified, the parties actively support each other within the framework of international organizations, and mutually beneficial trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian relations are developing.
On December 1, 2024, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the King of Malaysia Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah met at the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. The result of this high-level dialogue laid a new stage in the development of bilateral relations.
Inter-parliamentary dialogue has successfully developed within the framework of friendship groups in the two countries’ legislative bodies. In 2023 and 2024, the foreign ministers of both countries made mutual visits. In February this year, the Uzbekistan – Malaysia Business Forum was held in Kuala Lumpur.
In October 2023, a delegation led by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, Tiong King Sing, took part in the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand, during which an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding and cooperation in tourism was signed.
Political consultations between the foreign ministries of Uzbekistan and Malaysia are an essential mechanism for developing relations. The fifth round of dialogue was held in Putrajaya in March 2022 at the deputy minister level. The next round is planned to be held this year in Tashkent.
Malaysia is an important trading partner of Uzbekistan among ASEAN countries. In 2023, the volume of trade turnover increased threefold compared to 2017 and amounted to $190 million. Uzbekistan exports chemicals, food, textile products, and fruits to Malaysia.
Malaysia’s main exports are machinery, transport equipment, food, and chemicals.
In recent years, Malaysian investors have been interested in Uzbekistan. Currently, 33 enterprises in our country involve Malaysian capital, and 16 operate with 100 percent foreign capital.
Thanks to its strategic location, developed transport infrastructure, and existing free trade agreements with neighboring countries, Uzbekistan can serve as an essential hub for Malaysian businesses to enter the 80 million-person Central Asian market.
In turn, Malaysia is an essential bridge for Uzbek business in the market of Southeast Asian countries. From this point of view, the issue of transport communication deserves special attention.
Today, Uzbekistan Airways and Batik Air Malaysia operate four weekly flights between Tashkent and Kuala Lumpur. Our countries are interested in continuing cooperation on the development of alternative transport and logistics routes between Central Asia and Malaysia.
Education is another important area of partnership. In particular, the two countries’ universities and scientific institutions effectively cooperate within the framework of joint educational programs.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is visiting our country for the first time. Undoubtedly, the upcoming meetings will raise warm, friendly relations between the two countries to a new level, first of all, to tap into untapped potential in trade and economic sphere.
Several bilateral intergovernmental documents and trade, economic, and investment agreements are expected to be signed during the visit.
Today, the next Uzbekistan – Malaysia Business Forum will be held in the ancient city of Samarkand, which has gained fame as a center of international diplomacy and tourism. It is deeply symbolic that the “Malaysia Madani” concept is consonant with the Uzbekistan Strategy 2030, which aims to ensure sustainable economic growth and improve the population’s quality of life. This opens up a vast opportunity to exchange positive experience in implementing socio-economic reforms and deep structural transformations.
Today, Uzbekistan plays an active role not only in developing the integration process between the countries of Central Asia, but also in forming a new format for interaction of the entire region with foreign partners. In turn, Malaysia, as a country that is one of the founders of the ASEAN, plays a vital role in developing the regional integration process. I am confident that the upcoming high-level dialogue in Tashkent will allow us to create a new cooperation platform in the “Central Asia – ASEAN” format.
Undoubtedly, the official visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia will significantly intensify cooperation between Uzbekistan and Malaysia in politics, security, trade and economics, investment, transport, environmental protection, education, innovation, culture, and public diplomacy, based on the solid foundation of centuries-old friendship and mutual trust and understanding.
The delegation led by Anwar Ibrahim will visit Samarkand and Bukhara and get acquainted with the sights of our historical cities, which are famous worldwide.
UzA