Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : CONAKRY, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA
Tarikh/Date : 06/11/96
Tajuk/Title : THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED BY H.E.
GENERAL LANSANA CONTE, PRESIDENT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA
1. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Mr.
President and the Government of the Republic of Guinea for the
kind invitation for me to visit this beautiful country. I
would also like to express my gratitude for the gracious
hospitality and elaborate arrangements made for me and my
delegation.
2. I recall with pleasure the visit Your Excellency made to
Kuala Lumpur about two years ago which laid the foundation for
our two countries to come closer together. On my present
visit I am accompanied by a large delegation, including
members of the private sector. My visit is intended to
sustain the interest and the momentum that your visit had
generated.
3. In the last couple of years, there have been many
positive developments in Guinea-Malaysia relations. There is
now greater awareness of each other's potentials. Guinea has
opened an Embassy in Kuala Lumpur a month ago, and Telekom
Malaysia is now the majority shareholder in the newly-
privatised SOTELGUI.
4. During this visit a number of important bilateral
agreements between Malaysia and Guinea will be signed. The
private sector of the two countries would also sign a number
of MOUs in Conakry. The Investment Guarantee Agreement and
the Agreement on Partial Abolition of Visa between our two
countries would create a better climate for trade and
investment flows and provide a framework for enhanced
interaction between our two countries.
5. As members of the G-77 and OIC, Malaysia and Guinea
already enjoy warm and cordial relations. It has always been
Malaysia's desire to further concretise this cooperation by
venturing into trade, investment, development and in other
fields of cooperation as well. It is with this larger
objective that there is a friendly "invasion" of Guinea by so
many Malaysian businessmen.
6. We in Malaysia have found that foreign investment has
helped to transform our economy. Investments have provided
jobs, foreign exchange, transfer of technology, expanded our
industrial base and provided linkages between the agricultural
and industrial sectors. It also spawned the growth of medium
and small-scale industries. From these small beginnings
Malaysia has grown into a semi-industrialised nation which is
able to invest in other developing countries.
7. Guided by this experience, Malaysia has endeavoured to
play a somewhat similar role by cooperating with other
developing countries in the South, like Guinea. In seeking a
business presence overseas we have urged our private sector to
be good corporate citizens, to respect local sensitivities and
aspirations and to go for long term benefits than short term
gains.
8. It is important to us that the Malaysian bank, the
telecommunications company, and other ventures, including the
one in research and development between Telekom Malaysia and
the University of Conakry would succeed in laying the
foundation and spirit for partnership between our two
countries.
9. There is considerable scope to also realise bilateral
cooperation in the field of training. Malaysia's Technical
Cooperation Program (MTCP) provide short courses in areas like
diplomacy, public administration, agriculture and the
protection of the environment. We hope Guineans will avail
themselves of these courses. Guinean students can also apply
through the MTCP to study in Malaysian institutions of higher
learning, like the International Islamic University for long
term courses.
10. It is my sincere hope that the MOUs and business ventures
agreed to between Malaysian and Guinean companies during the
course of this visit would serve as a model of good
cooperation between the two countries in the South. While
Guinea can be a gateway for Malaysian companies in this part
of Africa, I would like also to ask Guinean companies to take
advantage of our position in the ASEAN and East Asian markets
to promote their products and services.
11. With that Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would
like to express on behalf of my delegation, my deepest
appreciation to His Excellency Mr. President and His
Excellency Mr. Prime Minister, to the Guinean Government and
its people for the warmth hospitality and friendship extended
to my wife and I and to the members of my delegation.
|
|