Minister Anifah To Sign Trade Agreement During Three-Day Working Visit To Kuwait

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman starts his three-day working visit to Kuwait on Monday, during which he is expected to sign a Trade Agreement between Malaysia and Kuwait with his counterpart. In a statement, Wisma Putra (Malaysia's Foreign Ministry) said the visit was at the invitation of his counterpart who is also the First Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. "The official visit is expected to be marked by the momentous occasion of the signing of a Trade Agreement between Malaysia and Kuwait by Anifah and His Excellency Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. "In terms of bilateral trade between both countries, the total bilateral trade in 2015 amounted to US$1.02 billion (RM4 billion). "Kuwait is an important trading partner for Malaysia in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as Kuwait is Malaysia's fourth largest trading partner among the GCC countries, after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar," the statement said. Wisma Putra said the official visit was aimed at re-affirming and further strengthening the warm and close bilateral relations between Malaysia and Kuwait. "Both sides are expected to take stock of, as well as expand the scope and substance of bilateral relations in various fields such as trade, investment, oil, energy, education, capacity building and tourism as well as discuss regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest," it said. The Foreign Minister is accompanied by his spouse, Siti Rubiah Abdul Samad, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it said. "During the official visit, the Minister is scheduled to have an audience with His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, and pay a courtesy call on His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister of Kuwait, at the Bayan Palace," the statement said. According to Wisma Putra, Anifah would also pay a courtesy call on Speaker of the National Assembly of Kuwait, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, and hold a bilateral meeting with Sheikh Sabah Khalid. --BERNAMA