South Africa and Malaysia have agreed to strengthen their partnership, with a particular focus on advancing co-operation in technology.
At the invitation of Malaysian prime minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, president Cyril Ramaphosa paid an official visit to Malaysia from 24 to 27 October, coinciding with the 47th ASEAN Summit.
This was president Ramaphosa’s first official visit to Malaysia since taking office in February 2018. Diplomatic relations between the two countries, established in 1993, have been defined by a longstanding partnership rooted in mutual respect, shared values and common goals.
In a statement, the Presidency says both leaders recognised the importance of revitalising bilateral relations and expressed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in key areas, including science, technology and innovation, trade and investment; halal industry; agriculture; defence; education; tourism and culture; transport; and capacity building.
They recognised that enhanced collaboration in these sectors would deliver tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries and contribute to sustainable development and inclusive economic growth.
According to the Presidency, both leaders expressed confidence in the continued growth of bilateral relations and noted the considerable untapped economic potentials between Malaysia and South Africa.
They further agreed to strengthen trade and investment linkages by facilitating participation of businesses from both countries in trade fairs, exhibitions and business forums.
The leaders also highlighted the importance of enhancing co-operation, including research, training programmes, and green manufacturing in the palm oil industry.
They further agreed to explore opportunities for joint ventures, technology transfer and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen collaboration and promote sustainable growth in this sector.
Acknowledging the strategic importance of technological advancement, both leaders agreed to strengthen co-operation in the semiconductor field.
Both sides recognised Malaysia’s role as a global hub and leading exporter in the semiconductor industry, and expressed commitment to leverage this expertise to promote knowledge-sharing, joint research and capacity-building.
Both leaders reaffirmed the significance of science, technology and innovation, as well as disruptive technology, as key drivers of economic growth and transformation.
They agreed to promote collaboration in emerging sectors, particularly through joint research and development, knowledge-sharing, technology transfer, science diplomacy, and capacity-building to strengthen innovation ecosystems in both countries. Both leaders also concurred that the government-led research and innovation must establish robust, reliable research and funding to facilitate sustained collaboration.
They underscored the importance of education as the cornerstone of sustainable development and shared prosperity.
They agreed to enhance co-operation between higher education institutions, promote academic and student exchanges, and strengthen collaboration in technical and vocational education and training, including joint research and scholarship programmes to nurture future-ready talent and advance knowledge-based growth.
Recognising the importance of enhancing connectivity between Malaysia and South Africa as a key enabler of trade, tourism and people-to-people linkages, both leaders encouraged continued collaboration between relevant ministries and agencies, to explore opportunities in the maritime, aviation and logistics sectors. Both leaders welcomed the private sector participation in areas related to rail transport, logistics and infrastructure development towards facilitating greater economic integration between the countries.
Both leaders noted with satisfaction the continued success of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) in supporting capacity-building initiatives in the Republic of South Africa.
Malaysia reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthen cooperation under the MTCP, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, semiconductors and renewable energy.
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