Doha, 26 August 2023 (QNA/)

The 8th Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee (HLJC) meeting concluded in Singapore. It was opened on Friday with the Keynote opening remarks by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He said that Singapore and Qatar can work together on many fronts. We can work together to contribute to supporting a global environment that has allowed us to thrive, to learn from each other’s experiences, and discover new ways of working together. So the HLJC theme of 'Partners in Growth' is especially apt, and captures the essence of our relationship well.

The HLJC was co-chaired by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and HE Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore Teo Chee Hean. The meeting was also attended by ministers and senior officials from both countries.

The joint statement issued by the Eighth Meeting of the High-Level Joint Committee stressed on the importance of the Committee as a main platform for expanding the strong Qatari-Singaporean partnership to broader horizons, in line with the common interests of the two countries.

Both sides emphasized their shared commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and to an ASEAN-centred, open, inclusive, transparent, resilient, and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law.

Qatar delegation was headed by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani accompanied with delegation members - Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani; Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari; Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al-Thani; Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi; Minister of Social Development and Family Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad; Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker; Chairman, Qatar Free Zones Authority Ahmad bin Mohamed Al Sayed; President, Civil Service and Government Development Bureau Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa; and Chief of Asia Pacific and Africa Investments, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al-Thani.

The Singapore delegation included Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamed Maliki Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Education, Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, and Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health.

The Co-chairs reaffirmed their commitment to the HLJC as a key vehicle for expanding the already robust Singapore-Qatar partnership, in line with the interests shared by both countries. They welcomed the series of high-level and sectorial engagements that have taken place between the two countries over the past year, including President Halimah Yacob's State Visit to Qatar in June 2023.

They noted the mutual desire to strengthen collaboration in areas such as Economy, Trade and Investment, Energy, Security, Social Development and the Family, Education, Human Capital Development, Smart Cities Infrastructure and AI. Both countries will explore avenues for further collaboration as partners in growth.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore welcomed the signing of the following Agreements and MOUs:

1. MOU between the Ministry of Social Development and the Family of the State of Qatar and the Ministry of Social and Family Development of the Republic of Singapore in the Field of Social Development and the Family.
2. Executive Programme on Education between the Ministry of Education of Singapore (MOE) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of the State of Qatar.
3. MOU between Singapore's National Water Agency, PUB and the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council on knowledge exchange, collaboration on Open Innovation Challenges related to water, and participation in Singapore International Water Week.
4. MOU between Enterprise Singapore and the Qatar Development Bank on Enterprise Digitalisation and Innovation.
5. MOU between Enterprise Singapore and the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar on fostering private sector partnerships.

Singapore also welcomed Qatar's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2022 and its growing engagement with the region. Both sides emphasised their shared commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region, and to an ASEAN-centred, open, inclusive, transparent, resilient, and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law.

During the 8th HLJC, the Investment Promotion Agency of Qatar (IPA) presented on investment opportunities with specific focus on opportunities within Qatar's manufacturing and logistics ecosystem, and its developing semiconductor industry.

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) of Singapore presented on Singapore's Smart Nation strategy including Smart Cities, and artificial intelligence (AI) development journey.

The State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore agreed to convene the 9th HLJC in Doha at a mutually convenient time, to be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.

Earlier on arrival on Thursday, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, visited Singapore at PM Lee's invitation, made his first official visit here as prime minister.

He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Istana. He called on President Halimah Yacob and met PM Lee, who hosted him to an official lunch.

President Halimah and Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed the warm and longstanding ties between Qatar and Singapore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore said in a statement, adding: “President Halimah welcomed the progress in bilateral cooperation in areas such as food security and innovation following her state visit to Qatar in June 2023.”