Malaysia Targets Closer Ties With Africa

Controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will be among African leaders descending on Malaysia this weekend for an economic forum designed to foster closer trade links with the continent.

The 87-year-old Mugabe, who is banned from travelling to the European Union over his regime's human rights record is among leaders and representatives from 20 countries expected in Kuala Lumpur.

Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, had initially agreed to attend the gathering but pulled out amid opposition to his presence from rights group Amnesty International.

Dubbed the Langkawi International Dialogue and a brainchild of ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the biennial convention aims to stimulate economic collaboration between Malaysia and a continent beset by conflicts, coups and political turmoil.

Despite Africa's problems, many reckon it to be a good bet for growth, with the International Monetary Fund expecting it to expand faster than the global average in the coming years. Six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies were on the continent last year.

Around 500 delegates from countries including Lesotho, Gambia, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Namibia will be welcomed by Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday when he kicks off proceedings at the 14th forum, the ninth to be held in Malaysia.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kohilan Pillay said Africa had experienced an "economic resurgence" in the past decade and there was now a need for Malaysian investors to tap its market.

Malaysia's heavily trade-dependent economy needs to find new markets for the manufactured products, oil and palm oil that it exports.

Kohilan said in 2010, total trade between Malaysia and Africa stood at 25 billion ringgit ($8.2 billion), a 39 percent surge from the previous year.

He said Malaysian investors are currently involved in the education and construction sectors in some African countries, alongside national oil company Petronas.

"There are tremendous opportunities for Malaysia. We need to explore the various opportunities," he said.

Kohilan said during the forum investors will meet potential partners and identify opportunities while leaders will map ways to promote trade and economic ties.

But the guest list for the event has raised some eyebrows, with Ragunath Kesavan, former president of the Malaysian Bar Council telling AFP that Malaysia should not invite Mugabe to the forum as it will seen as condoning his rights abuses.

"We should not engage with Mugabe. We should not add legitimacy to this international pariah," the rights activists said.

Ragunath said since Malaysia had a seat on the UN's Human Rights Council and was positioning itself as a leader in the Muslim world it should "send the right message."

"By engaging it will be seen as condoning and sympathetic to what Mugabe is doing in his country," he said.

However, Kuala Lumpur is keen to boost economic exchange with Africa as a whole.

A Malaysian official told AFP that trade volume with the continent was "relatively small" compared to that with Kuala Lumpur's traditional partners like the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the US, China and India because local investors consider Africa a poor region.

The honorary counsel of Uganda, Noraihan Mohammad Adnan said she hopes the forum will enable participating countries to find ways to solve problems related to food security and escalating oil prices.

Mohamad Kamarudin Hassan, deputy chief executive officer of Malaysia's trade promotion agency said Africa's huge population could provide a market for local products.

"Given the emergence of the African continent as a significant market place in the last decade, we're convinced of the many opportunities available for the growth of Malaysia's total trade with Africa," he said.

The four-day event will be held in Putrajaya, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur from June 18.

- By Agence France-Presse

Oops! Before you leave this page, don’t forget about your plan to go for your touring and travelling trip. We provide instant hotel booking facilities for you here. Just click the following banner and you’ll get your lowest accommodation rate of your choice!