VERBATIM TEXT

OFFICIAL VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL

UMARO SISSOCO EMBALÓ,

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA-BISSAU TO MALAYSIA

4 JUNE 2025 (WEDNESDAY)

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and a very good morning.

It is great again, a very significant maiden visit by the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, now getting very close and friendly in our exchanges from this morning, His Excellency General Umaro Sissoco Embaló (President Umaro) and to me, it is a key country that will leverage our positive momentum in the West African region and potentially into Africa.

Of course, Guinea-Bissau with Malaysia has had very low-key engagement in the past. That’s why I think President Umaro’s visit is very significant. He has that vision to work with us, to engage with Malaysia as a base for the ASEAN region, and we to accept the role of Guinea Bissau to expand our relations — trade, investments and various fields, meeting hopefully with PETRONAS and FGV this evening, and will look at the potential both in Malaysia and also in Guinea-Bissau, not only at the national level, but to then use this as a base to expand into the African sub-region and continent, and similarly to Malaysia and beyond.

Now, we have discussed a number of issues, including extending halal cooperation in Islamic banking and finance, and training in either universities or industries in various fields, including semiconductor, oil and gas, and food technology.

We are ready to offer some assistance, as we have done under the MTCP program, and also the large program which will be coordinated by Minister YB Datuk Seri Johari bin Abdul Ghani.

Now, we also discussed a number of international issues. President Umaro has extremely good relations with the UAE, France, Russia, and the United States and primarily, of course, Africa. And I think we, as a trading nation and the policy in Malaysia and ASEAN of course, centrality — we engage and be friends with all countries, and this is very keen to the position taken by President Umaro and Guinea-Bissau.

So, I would say that this is going to be your second home, and we — my colleagues and the people of Malaysia are extremely glad that you have now taken the initiative to forge a new relationship, close, based on trust and affinity with Malaysia.

So, Terima Kasih. Thank you.