ISTANBUL - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrived here today for a four-day working visit to Turkiye, which concludes on Nov 8, during which he is scheduled to participate in the TRT World Forum 2026.
The special aircraft carrying Ahmad Zahid and his wife, Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis, touched down at Istanbul Airport at 3.30am local time (8.30am Malaysian time), where they were received by Malaysian Ambassador to Turkiye Adlan Mohd Shaffieq.
On Friday, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to receive a courtesy call from the president of Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education, Prof Dr Erol Ozvar, before attending the opening ceremony of the TRT World Forum 2026 at the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC), to be officiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is set to join fellow panellists for a session titled "Turkiye: From Regional Power to Multi-Regional Actor”.
Held under the theme "A World Without a Centre: Who Leads When the Rules Run Out?”, the TRT World Forum 2026 brings together political leaders, policymakers, academics, media practitioners and civil society representatives from around the world to exchange views on key global issues.
Among the prominent Malaysians who have participated in the forum over the years are Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (2018 and 2019), former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz (2019) and public health expert Prof Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood (2020).
On Nov 7, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to deliver a lecture at Ibn Haldun University and engage in discussions with the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) on key geopolitical and geoeconomic issues.
His itinerary also includes a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Tarek Mitri, and witnessing the signing of letters of collaboration (LOCs) between Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and two Turkish universities, Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University.
The document exchange ceremony will also be attended by 17 MARA-sponsored students currently pursuing their studies in Turkiye.
Malaysia and Turkiye have maintained close strategic cooperation across various sectors, including politics, the economy, trade and education, since establishing diplomatic relations on June 17, 1964.
Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Turkiye has reached US$5.6 billion, with both countries having agreed in January 2026 to boost the figure to US$10 billion within five years.
The move underscores both countries' commitment to strengthening economic ties, while reinforcing Malaysia’s position alongside Singapore as one of Turkiye’s key trading partners in Southeast Asia. - BERNAMA