Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad arrived Wednesday in Yemen for a four-day visit aimed at developing bilateral cooperation in various fields, said reports.
Malaysia maintains strong ties with the Arab World in part because of a shared Islamic heritage.
Mahathir, who heads a large delegation including Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, told reporters on arrival that the purpose of his visit was to strengthen ties between the two countries in the fields of economy and investment, AFP quoted him as saying.
He is expected to hold talks on the issue with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Prime Minister Abdel Kader Bajammal, reported the official Yemeni news agency, Saba.
The Malaysian prime minister is also due to visit Aden and meet there with a Yemeni business delegation.
A member of the Malaysian delegation told AFP that trade between the two countries reached $85 million in 2000, the balance weighing heavily in favor of Malaysia, with $68 million worth of exports, while Yemeni exports to Kuala Lumpur only amount to $17 million – Albawaba.com
