On 5 August 2025, the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia, organised a public lecture entitled “The Growing Intersection of Economics and Geopolitics” delivered by Dr Fergus Cumming, Deputy Chief Economist at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The lecture was held at Wisma Putra, Putrajaya.
Dr Fergus Cumming presented on the impact of global technological developments on the environment, which have contributed to climate change; the transformation of the global economic landscape resulting from technological evolution; the effects of technology on demographic shifts, such as fertility rates, life expectancy, and population imbalances in certain regions, among others. He also discussed geoeconomic issues such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative as a means for China to expand its global influence, Russia’s trade disputes with Ecuador, and the role of regional actors such as the E7 (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey), which are expected to surpass the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) as the world’s leading economic powers in the future.
During the Q&A session, participants raised various issues, including questions on morality in economic decision-making, the impact of Brexit on the United Kingdom’s economy, the implications of current US tariff increases on global politics, and other related matters.
Participants had the opportunity to delve deeper into the topic through this Q&A session and it is hoped that the discussion benefits all parties across various sectors.
The session concluded with an exchange of mementos and a group photograph with all parties that were present; ministries, government agencies, embassies, and high commissions.
This programme represented not merely a lecture, but a continuous bilateral diplomatic initiative between Malaysia and the United Kingdom, aimed at facilitating knowledge exchange in areas of shared interest.
