The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak have met in Putrajaya for talks.
The two leaders first held a restricted meeting before heading to the delegation meeting between the two countries at Seri Perdana, according to Bernama.
The Emir arrived yesterday for his maiden two-day state visit to Malaysia at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
The emir is accompanied by a business delegation and cabinet members and plans to hold talks with Malaysian leaders to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of energy, the economy and investment, as reported by Al-Jazeera.
The two countries also signed four memorandums of understanding (MOU) today in the fields of legal and judicial cooperation, training of diplomats, and higher education.
The first two MOUs on the fields of training of diplomats and higher education were signed between Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and his counterpart Sheikh Mohammad Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
Sheikh Mohammad also signed another MOU on legal cooperation activities with attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.
The fourth MOU on judicial cooperation was signed by the chief registrar of Federal Court Latifah Mohd Tahar and president of the Supreme Judicial Council Masoud Mohamed A Amiri.
The signings were witnessed by Najib and the emir.
There are 15 Malaysian companies operating in Qatar in the contracting, infrastructure and hospitality sectors.
In preparation for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Qatar is undertaking many construction projects, including a rail network, eight stadiums and the new city of Lusail.
Qatar's need for wood in light of the surge in construction has given Malaysian timber companies a strategic opportunity.
After the Saudi-led blockade was imposed on Qatar in June, Malaysia has replaced Saudi Arabia as a steel supplier to Qatar.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who visited Qatar in February, had expressed hopes that Malaysian companies would be able to participate in World Cup development projects.
Last year, total trade between the two countries amounted to US$566 million, according to local media figures. As of now, the trade volume amounts to nearly US$1.1 billion, according to Qatar News Agency.
Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor will also be hosting a luncheon in honour of the visit.
