by NURUL SUHAIDI / Pic by BERNAMA

DEPUTY Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (picture) is scheduled for a working visit to Uzbekistan from May 19 to 21 and Kazakhstan from May 22 to 25.

The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement today said Kamaruddin will visit Uzbekistan’s deputy minister of foreign trade and investment, acting foreign minister as well as the speaker of the House of Representatives.

While in Kazakhstan, he is scheduled to meet the deputy prime minister (trade and integration minister) and chairman of the Committee on International Affairs and Defence.

The visit aims to further strengthen the existing mutually beneficial collaborations between Malaysia and the two countries.

Subsequently, it will explore new strategic areas in trade and investment, education, culture, tourism, technical cooperation assistance and health cooperation.

“This meeting will provide an opportunity for Malaysia to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern,” Wisma Putra said.

It further stated that the year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the two countries.

Wisma Putra noted last year, from January to October, Kazakhstan was Malaysia’s largest trading partner in Central Asia with RM359.79 million in total trade while Uzbekistan was the second-largest with a total trade amount of RM187.82 million for the corresponding period.