Deputy FM Pays Courtesy Call on Egyptian Counterpart

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican (centre) on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo, the Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Countries and Pacific Island Affairs, Yasser Murad. Wisma Putra, in a statement Wednesday night, said the meeting aimed to discuss bilateral as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern while both sides agreed to further strengthen the long standing bilateral ties and cooperation in various areas. On the issue of study visas for Malaysian students in Egypt raised by Reezal Merican at the meeting, both sides also agreed to work closely to ensure all Malaysian students had validation from the universities to study in Egypt and obtain study visa from the Egyptian authorities. “Presently, there are a total of 11,102 Malaysian students in Egypt undertaking studies in Islamic studies, medicine and dentistry,” the statement said. Meanwhile, bilateral relations between Malaysia and Egypt, also Malaysia’s largest trading partner in North Africa, remained fruitful with total trade in 2016 valued at US$622 million (RM2.6 billion). “For the first half of 2017, total trade between the two countries was valued at US$341.77 million (RM1.43 billion),” it added. Reezal Merican is on a three-day working visit to Egypt and is expected to meet with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif, Professor Dr Ahmed Mohamed Al-Tayyeb on Sept 20. -- BERNAMA