LONDON: Promoting trade and investment between the Muslim world and the West will be the main agenda of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s week-long working visit to Britain.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will attend the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) from Oct 29 to 31 and hold bilateral meetings with his British counterpart David Cameron.
Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Britain Datuk Seri Zakaria Sulong said Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were scheduled to arrive here at about 5am today.
With the theme “Changing World, New Relationships”, this year’s edition of the WIEF will be the first hosted by a non-Muslim country and is expected to be attended by nearly 2,000 participants.
The WIEF was first held in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur and is a Malaysian initiative to showcase business and economic opportunities in Muslim countries.
“The response has been encouraging because many parties see the WIEF in London as an opportunity to develop greater interaction between Muslim countries and Western businesses,” Zakaria said.
“The WIEF is no longer just about Islamic finance or the halal industry because we now see interest in engaging in sectors such as information and communication technology, banking, and agriculture,” he said here yesterday.
The others who would attend the meeting include International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.
Najib and Cameron will launch the event on Tuesday and are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting at 10 Downing Street later that day.
Relations between Britain and Malaysia have been on an upswing since 2010, one year after Najib took office.
Najib will deliver the WIEF keynote address and host a gala dinner which is expected to be attended by Prince Charles.
Tomorrow, Najib and Rosmah are expected to visit Manchester for a 1M4U volunteer programme.
They are also expected to attend a 1Malaysia Deepavali celebration organised by the Malaysian community here on Wednesday.
– THE STAR
