WORKING VISIT OF THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS YB DATO’ KAMARUDIN JAFFAR TO THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FROM 19 – 25 MAY 2022

WORKING VISIT OF THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS YB DATO' KAMARUDIN JAFFAR

TO THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN FROM 19 - 25 MAY 2022

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Dato' Kamarudin Jaffar, will undertake his working visits to the Republic of Uzbekistan from 19 to 21 May 2022 and the Republic of Kazakhstan from 22 to 25 May 2022. YB Dato' Kamarudin Jaffar will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The year 2022 is the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and the two nations this year.

In Uzbekistan, Dato' Kamarudin is scheduled to meet with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Uzbekistan. In Kazakhstan, he is scheduled to meet with his counterpart, the Deputy Prime Minister (Minister of Trade and Integration) and Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs and Defense.

The visits will focus on strengthening further the existing mutually beneficial collaboration between Malaysia and the two countries as well as exploring new strategic areas in trade and investment, education, culture, tourism, technical cooperation assistance and health cooperation. It will also provide an opportunity for Malaysia to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

For the period of January to October 2021, Kazakhstan was Malaysia's largest trading partner in Central Asia with the total trade at RM359.79 million. While Uzbekistan was the second largest trading partner with the total trade amount of RM187.82 million for the corresponding period.

PUTRAJAYA

18 May 2022