ALBAWABA- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Ankara, marking a milestone in bilateral relations with the inauguration of the Malaysia-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
The council, co-chaired by both leaders, builds on agreements from Erdogan’s February 2025 visit to Kuala Lumpur.
The summit focused on defense, trade, investment, education, culture, and tourism, with Erdogan highlighting joint steps in the defense industry under a “win-win” framework and ongoing collaboration in advanced technologies.
Several agreements were signed, including a memorandum of understanding on ICT and a letter of acceptance for a multi-purpose mission vessel, linking Turkish shipyard DESAN with Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry.
Economic ties were a key priority, with both countries encouraging mutual investments and efforts to boost bilateral trade. Erdogan praised Malaysia’s role in ASEAN, aligning it with Türkiye’s Asia Anew Initiative, launched in 2019.
In a joint press conference, Anwar praised Türkiye’s scientific and technological capabilities and positioned the country as a partner in Malaysia’s innovation-driven growth. He commended Erdogan’s leadership, particularly on Muslim world issues and global crises, citing shared attention to the situation in Gaza.
Anwar was also awarded Türkiye’s Order of the Republic, the nation’s highest honor for foreign leaders, in recognition of his contributions to diplomacy.
His three-day visit, his first official trip to Türkiye, included engagements with the Malaysian diaspora and business roundtables exploring new economic opportunities.
The leaders reaffirmed commitment to multilateral platforms, including the UN and OIC, signaling a strengthened Türkiye-Malaysia partnership amid evolving regional dynamics.
