Kenya, Malaysia mark 60 years of diplomatic ties

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks during the plenary session at the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26, 2025. (PHOTO / AFP)

Malaysia’s 68th Independence Day celebrations at the JW Marriott Hotel in Nairobi on Sunday also doubled as a moment of reflection for the six-decade relationship between Kenya and Malaysia. Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1965, the two nations have built a partnership spanning trade, education, culture, and global cooperation.

That relationship is set to take a significant step forward later this year when Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim makes his first official visit to Kenya in November. His trip will be part of a broader Sub-Saharan Africa tour that includes Ethiopia and South Africa. It will also mark only the second visit to Kenya by a Malaysian head of government since Prime Minister Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi’s trip in 2007, underlining Malaysia’s renewed interest in Africa.