Malaysia's inaugural Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), is on track to be signed within two months, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
This important Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) is expected to open the door for further FTAs with other GCC countries.
Tengku Zafrul explained that it will take about two months for the necessary legal formalities to be completed.
This information was shared during an interview with Bernama after the Public Economics & Finance Conference organized by the National Institute of Public Administration.
In his speech at the conference, Tengku Zafrul emphasized that he and his UAE counterpart had reached a final agreement on Cepa.
The signing ceremony of the final agreement, which is scheduled in two months, will be witnessed by the prime ministers of both countries.
This will make Malaysia the fifth and third country in Southeast Asia to establish Cepa with the UAE.
The Malaysia-UAE Cepa represents an important step forward in enhancing economic ties and trade relations between the two countries, fostering stronger and more comprehensive economic cooperation in the GCC region.
