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WORKING VISIT BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ITALY 20 JANUARY 2025

WORKING VISIT BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ITALY

20 JANUARY 2025

 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Maria Tripodi undertook a Working Visit to Malaysia on 20 January 2025. This marked Deputy Minister Tripodi’s first visit to Malaysia since assuming office in October 2022.

During the visit, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Datuk Mohamad Alamin hosted a working lunch in honour of Deputy Minister Tripodi in Kuala Lumpur. The two Deputy Foreign Ministers reviewed Malaysia-Italy bilateral relations and explored new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, defence and security, energy and the environment, tourism, and higher education. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Italy’s Presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) in 2024, and the situation in the Middle East.

Italy became an ASEAN Development Partner in 2020, with the ASEAN-Italy Development Partnership Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA) (2022-2026) serving as a framework for cooperation between ASEAN and Italy. Deputy Minister Tripodi reaffirmed Italy’s support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship.

In addition, Deputy Minister Tripodi met with Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah bin Mohd Nasir, as well as Director-General of the National Security Council Raja Dato’ Nushirwan bin Zainal Abidin.

From January to November 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with Italy saw a 2.1 per cent increase, reaching RM13.44 billion (USD2.92 billion) compared with RM13.16 billion (USD2.90 billion) for the same period in 2023. In 2023, Italy was Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner among European Union countries, with total trade valued at RM14.32 billion (USD3.15 billion). As of 2024, a total of 137 projects with Italian participation have been approved, with total investments of RM3.53 billion (USD967.9 million), potentially creating 11,496 jobs.

 

PUTRAJAYA

20 January 2025