Belgian DPM to make two-day visit to Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Belgium’s deputy prime minister and foreign, European affairs and development cooperation minister Maxime Prévot will begin a two-day working visit to Malaysia tomorrow.

In a statement today, the foreign ministry said talks would focus on cooperation in renewable energy, rare earth elements, and the halal industry.

Wisma Putra said it would be Prévot’s first to Malaysia since he assumed office in February 2025 and would include a meeting with deputy prime minister and energy transition and water transformation minister Fadillah Yusof.

“Both sides will review the state of Malaysia-Belgium relations and explore new avenues of cooperation,” it said.

It said discussions would also cover Malaysia-European Union relations, as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest.

Prévot is scheduled to deliver a ministerial address at the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia.

He is also expected to have an audience with the sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

Total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Belgium reached RM9.74 billion in 2025, comprising RM6.85 billion in Malaysian exports to Belgium and RM2.89 billion in imports from Belgium.

As of 2025, a total of 67 projects with Belgian participation had been approved, representing RM5.1 billion in investments and the potential creation of 4,605 jobs.