Sarawak is considering opening an office in Abu Dhabi to strengthen its trade and investment network

KUCHING, Oct 1: The Sarawak Government is considering opening an office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to strengthen economic ties with the region, particularly in the energy sector.

Sarawak Premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the proposal was part of efforts to expand Sarawak's trade and investment network into international markets.

"It's still in the planning stages. We are proposing with Abu Dhabi that the relations can be strained and at the same time manage project proposals to be implemented in Sarawak", he said.

He said this when meeting after delivering the keynote address at Sarawak Corporate Leadership Summit 2026 (SCOPE) here, today.

Brother Johari said the proposal was closely related to the cooperation being explored between Sarawak and Abu Dhabi, including in the solar energy sector as well as the gas industry.

He said the office was proposed to be jointly managed by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) in order to coordinate cooperation projects should it be realized.

According to him, the partnership involves a company owned by the Abu Dhabi government, while the proposed project is currently undergoing feasibility study.

"We are waiting for the implementation of the project in Sarawak. I think it's still in the feasibility study. Their engineers have also come a few times and I expect in a year or so", he said.

Earlier in his speech, Johari said that Sarawak should expand its markets internationally, in line with the development of the digital economy allowing local companies to access markets without being overly tied to geographical factors.

He said Sarawak also continued to strengthen its overseas trade and investment presence through the Sarawak Office of Trade and Tourism in Singapore (STATOS) and Brunei (STATOB), as well as planning for opening an office in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

He said the network is important for expanding Sarawak's connections to regional markets, especially ASEAN, as well as opening more opportunities for local companies to expand their business.

"In a digital economy, your market is no longer limited by geographic factors like it used to be. Sarawak also continues to strengthen its foreign trade and investment presence, including through offices in Singapore and Brunei as well as plans to open an office in Pontianak to deepen Sarawak's ties with regional markets", he said.

He said that Sarawak should not only look at the domestic market, but also take advantage of its position in Borneo and ASEAN to penetrate regional as well as global markets.

He said opportunities can be explored in the energy, trade, tourism, logistics, technology, food production, professional services and digital economy sectors.