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Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's X
MANILA, November 15, 2026 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, on the sidelines of the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on Sunday, to exchange views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments, Anwar said in a post on X.
Anwar said the discussion also touched on efforts to expand trade and investment cooperation, particularly in the energy, digital economy and technology sectors. “I also shared updates on Malaysia’s economic developments and explored potential new areas of cooperation, especially as we approach the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Canada,” he wrote.
He said Malaysia and Canada would “continue to strengthen the friendship and cooperation that have been established, for the benefit and prosperity of both countries.”
The Star and the New Straits Times reported the same account from Anwar’s remarks. The Star, which also cited a Facebook post published on Sunday, said the two leaders discussed expanding trade and investment cooperation in those sectors and that Anwar reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to further strengthening ties with Canada. Neither report, nor Anwar’s post, announced a new agreement or memorandum of understanding from the talks.
Global Affairs Canada states that Canada was among the first countries to establish formal diplomatic relations with the newly independent Federation of Malaya in 1957, and that the two countries will mark 70 years of official diplomatic relations in 2027. Malaysia’s High Commission in Ottawa likewise records that diplomatic relations were established in 1957, immediately after independence.
At the time of writing, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office had not issued a separate readout of Sunday’s meeting in Manila. The two leaders last held a documented bilateral meeting on October 27, 2025, on the margins of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, according to a readout issued then by the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office. That statement said they had discussed energy, trade, critical minerals, defence and artificial intelligence, and had welcomed a letter of intent on investment in energy.
Carney is also in Manila for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. The Star reported that he was among those present at the plenary opening session on Sunday, alongside Anwar and other leaders. A day earlier, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said Carney had announced further support at the summit for completing an ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement and for Canada’s wider partnership with the bloc. Those announcements were not presented as outcomes of the meeting with Anwar.
Anwar is in Manila to lead Malaysia’s delegation to the summit, which opened on Sunday and runs until Tuesday, November 17, as previously reported by Life News Agency. He and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail attended the opening ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center earlier on Sunday, before he posted about the meeting with Carney. He was accompanied in Manila by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Bernama and the New Straits Times reported.
Sources: Anwar Ibrahim on X (meeting post); The Star; New Straits Times; Global Affairs Canada; Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Prime Minister of Canada; Bernama.
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