KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's strong stance on the Gaza conflict is expected to be a key point of discussion during his November visit to Brazil, says Brazilian Ambassador Ary Norton De Murat Quintella.
Speaking to the New Straits Times' Beyond the Headlines, Quintella praised Anwar's consistent advocacy for the Palestinian cause, saying that Anwar has become a singular voice among Muslim leaders.
"Anwar Ibrahim has been very vocal about Gaza, and rightly so, but President Lula as well. In Malaysia, there's unanimity about Gaza, but not in Brazil. It's brave of Lula to speak out, as there is some opposition, including from the press," he said.
Beyond Gaza, Quintella expects the talks to focus on strengthening ties, especially in environmental cooperation, renewable energy, and semiconductors.
He said that there is a growing alignment between Anwar and Lula, both of whom share a vision for amplifying the voice of the Global South and pushing for more equitable global governance.
"You must remember, in the last two or three years, since Lula was re-elected and Anwar became prime minister, so much has been done between the two countries in areas and industries like the environment, semiconductors, and renewable energy," he said.
"They will definitely discuss Gaza in Rio, but the focus will be on deepening Brazil-Malaysia relations."
Anwar's visit comes at the special invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to attend the G20 summit, which Brazil is hosting from Nov 18 to 19. While Malaysia is not a G20 member, Anwar was invited in recognition of his growing influence and alignment with Lula on key global issues.