30 years of diplomatic relations: SA and Singapore reaffirm bilateral ties

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday morning expressed his satisfaction with the successful conclusion of discussions during Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s first official visit to South Africa.

As the two leaders celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries, Ramaphosa said: “This visit provided South Africa and Singapore an opportunity to discuss areas of cooperation that are firmly focused on the future.”

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During their talks, both leaders highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of partnership. President Ramaphosa said: “Prime Minister Lee and I had productive deliberations, and we believe that there is significant potential to further develop our economic partnership.”

Group of business representatives

The prime minister was accompanied by a diverse group of business representatives from sectors such as ports, logistics, healthcare, biomedical sciences, food manufacturing, and engineering.

Expressing gratitude for the commitment to collaborate, Ramaphosa stated: “I would like to thank Prime Minister Lee for very productive deliberations and for his commitment to building stronger ties between our countries.”

Both leaders recognised the common interest shared by South Africa and Singapore in promoting economic growth, social development, and prosperity for their citizens.

The discussions between the leaders covered various areas of cooperation, including digitalisation, communications, technology, water and sanitation, skills development, and science and innovation.

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Furthermore, Ramaphosa expressed appreciation for Singapore’s support in training South African civil servants over the years. He also discussed South Africa’s application to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying: “We discussed South Africa’s application to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.”

African Continental Free Trade Area

Addressing regional and international concerns, the leaders engaged in discussions on the African Continental Free Trade Area and the global instability in international relations and the economy. Ramaphosa honed in on the need for collaborative efforts in addressing conflicts, climate change, pandemics, and other challenges. He said: “We agreed on the need for all countries to work together to develop inclusive, just and sustainable solutions to conflict, climate change, pandemics and other challenges.”

The visit also provided an opportunity for Ramaphosa to outline to Lee South Africa’s position regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He spoke about the African leaders’ peace mission initiative. “I presented the initiative on behalf of African heads of state from Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, Egypt, and South Africa,” he said.