Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s latest outreach to Turkey indicates a growing urgency among developing nations to close ranks with like-minded partners, experts say, amid uncertainty caused by US tariffs and mounting military aggression.
Malaysia and Turkey on Wednesday agreed to elevate diplomatic and economic ties by establishing a High Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
Chaired by the leaders of both nations, the council will oversee development across trade and investments in areas such as defence, energy and the environment, and pursue common positions on regional and global issues.
The move comes barely a week after Washington bombed Caracas and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as part of US President Donald Trump’s “war on drugs” – an act that critics, including Anwar, had said violated international law.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) welcomes Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday. Photo: Turkish Presidency/dpa
Anwar, who is leading a delegation on a three-day official trip to Turkey, said on Wednesday the world was in need of “honest, reliable friends” – like Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – to call out injustices and take the lead in resolving crises such as the ongoing oppression of Palestine.