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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Central Asia

Central Asia

Singapore's diplomatic relationships and recent highlights with Central Asia.

Overview

Engagement of the region – Central Asia occupies an important geostrategic position between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Singapore maintains warm relations with the Central Asian countries. Despite our different history and geographical location, Singapore and the Central Asian countries are young nations with common development goals and the desire to build up our human resources and promote a peaceful and stable regional environment for socio-economic development. These shared goals have fostered closer relations in recent years, especially with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. We have a Non-Resident Ambassador accredited to both countries.

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a State Visit to Singapore in January 2023. Then President Halimah Yacob reciprocated with a State Visit to Uzbekistan in May 2023 back-to-back with a State Visit to Kazakhstan.  Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reciprocated with a State Visit to Singapore in May 2024.  During the State Visits of President Tokayev and President Mirziyoyev, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed several agreements with Singapore to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas including economic cooperation, transport, healthcare, higher education, intellectual property rights protection, legal cooperation, security cooperation, civil service training and standards. Please click these links for more details:

Singapore regularly holds business forums with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Singapore is also party to the Eurasian Economic Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EAEUSFTA), of which Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are members. In May 2023, then President Halimah and President Tokayev co-witnessed the signing of the Services and Investment (S&I) Agreement with Kazakhstan under the EAEUSFTA. This agreement facilitates market access for Singapore companies in more than 15 service sectors and the protection of investors’ interests. Please click on this link for more details.

Capacity-building is another key area of cooperation. Through the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), we have shared our developmental experience with more than 1,200 participants from Central Asia.  In April 2024, Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs partnered with the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development (KazAid) to organise a pilot programme on “Effective Governance and Building a Digitally Advanced Government” for officials from the C5 countries (Kazakhstan, Kygryzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) in Astana. Please click this link for more details on the SCP.

Recent highlights

2024

  • Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Bobur Usmanov visited Singapore in February for the 3rd MFA-to-MFA political consultations.

  • Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng visited Kazakhstan in April.

  • Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev visited Singapore in April for the 4th MFA-to-MFA Political Consultations.

  • Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng visited Uzbekistan in May for the 3rd Tashkent International Investment Forum. 

  • Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a State Visit to Singapore in May at the invitation of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

2023

  • Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a State Visit to Singapore in January at the invitation of then President Halimah Yacob.

  • Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam visited Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in May.

  • President Halimah Yacob made a State Visit to Uzbekistan in May at the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

  • President Halimah Yacob made a State Visit to Kazakhstan in May at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

  • Uzbek Minister of Interior Pulat Bobojonov visited Singapore in June.

  • Uzbek Advisor to the President on Social and Political Development Ruslanbek Davletov visited Singapore in July.

  • Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Nurbek Sayasat visited Singapore in August.

2022

  • Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi led a delegation of senior officials on a visit to Singapore in August.

  • Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman visited Kazakhstan in October for the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building.

  • Uzbek First Deputy Minister of Higher and Secondary Specialised Education Komiljon Karimov visited Singapore in December.

2020

  • Senior Minister of State (Trade and Industry) Dr Koh Poh Koon visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in February.

2019

  • Kazakh Governor of Almaty Province Amandyk Batalov visited Singapore in March.

  • Uzbek Minister of Culture Bakhtiyor Sayfullayev visited Singapore in March.

  • Senior Minister of State (Defence) (Foreign Affairs) Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman visited Uzbekistan in April.

  • Senior Minister of State (Health) (Law) Edwin Tong visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in April.

  • Turkmen Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Berdiniyaz Myatiyev visited Singapore in June.

  • Uzbek Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Rustam Djurayev visited Singapore in July to learn about Singapore’s law enforcement practices.

  • Afghan Minister of Justice Dr Abdul Baseer Anwar visited Singapore in August for the Singapore Convention Signing Ceremony and Conference.

  • Turkmen Deputy Minister of Justice Merettagan Taganov visited Singapore in August for the Singapore Convention Signing Ceremony and Conference.

  • Uzbek Deputy Minister of Justice Tashkulov Akbar visited Singapore in August for the Singapore Convention Signing Ceremony and Conference.

  • Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made a State Visit to Singapore in August at the invitation of President Halimah Yacob.

  • Uzbek Minister of Preschool Education Agrippina Shin visited Singapore in November to study Singapore’s preschool education sector.

  • Turkmen Minister of Justice Begmurat Muhamedov visited Singapore in November.

  • Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean visited Kazakhstan in October.

2018

  • Afghan Commissioner of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission Maiwand Rahyab led a delegation of senior Afghan officials to participate in the “Strategic Leadership and Public Governance” programme in Singapore in February.

  • Kazakh Chairperson of the Senate Committee for International Relations, Defence and Security Dr Dariga Nazarbayeva visited Singapore in February as the 63rd Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow.

  • Kazakh Chairman of the Supreme Court Zhakip Assanov visited Singapore in February.

  • Kyrgyz Deputy Chairman of the Jogorku Kenesh Committee of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Abdyvakhap Nurbayev visited Singapore in March.

  • Kazakh Deputy Chairperson of the Agency for Civil Service and Anti-Corruption Aigul Shaimova visited Singapore in April.

  • Uzbek First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Roads Shukhrat Nazarov visited Singapore in June.

  • Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Erbolat Dossayev and Minister of Education and Science Erlan Sagadiev visited Singapore in November to attend the Bloomberg New Economy Forum.

  • Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev made a working visit to Singapore in November.

  • Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Djamshid Kuchkarov visited Singapore in November.

  • Uzbek Minister of Justice Ruslanbek Davletov visited Singapore in November to attend the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-related events as part of an anti-corruption study tour.

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