Malaysia and Egypt recently signed a collaboration to promote a sustained post-Covid-19 pandemic recovery, media reports stated. The partnership is primarily focusing on vaccine cooperation.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, told the media that an area of interest to Malaysia is the production of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines from Egypt. The vaccines are produced locally for domestic usage and to export to other parts of the continent. He further added that this is another avenue for both countries to collaborate and explore.
Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Hassan Shoukry and Datuk, had discussed the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates. It has been playing a vital role in reviving tourism, business and educational travel.
Malaysia and Egypt have also agreed to reconvene the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) mechanism that has been planned to be co-chaired by both ministers. Senior officials of the countries involved will also convene the Bilateral Consultation that will undertake a thorough assessment of collaborations, explore avenues for intensification and identify areas of deliberation in Malaysia and Egypt.
The countries will also be intensifying efforts to bring more Malaysian palm oil and palm-oil based products into the Egyptian market. Egypt stated that it could help open the economy for Egypt to ASEAN to capitalise on the population of 620 million South-East Asians.
Malaysia views Egypt as a gateway for Malaysian exports to the rest of the African regions and vice versa. Malaysia shows interest in Egypt’s economic development programmes and Malaysia in the New Administrative Capital and Suez Canal Economic Zone projects. Datuk has invited the Malaysian private sector to participate in visionary projects.