Africa
North Africa Maghreb
Singapore's diplomatic relationships and recent highlights with North Africa Maghreb.
Overview
Engagement of the region – Singapore maintains warm relations with the countries in the Maghreb, especially Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. Bilateral relations have grown steadily, driven by several high-level visits, that fostered closer political and economic cooperation.
Singapore has diplomatic relations with all the Maghreb countries – we have accredited Non-Resident Ambassadors (NRA) to Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia while our Ambassador in Cairo is concurrently accredited to Libya (Note: The position of NRA to Morocco is currently vacant). The Ambassadors of Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia (resident in Jakarta) are concurrently accredited to Singapore.
Singapore is working with the Maghreb countries to promote greater engagement in trade and investments. In July 2023, Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) inaugurated their new Head Office in Cairo to provide services such as ocean/air export and import, import/export customs clearance, project logistics, ground transport and warehousing/distribution. In 2023, Changi Airport International (CAI) signed MOUs with Cairo Airport Company to improve the passenger experience in Cairo International Airport and conducted a feasibility study to establish the Cairo Cargo City.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) organised business forums to highlight the opportunities in Tunisia and Morocco respectively. The SBF also led a business delegation to Morocco in March 2018. In 2023, Algeria and Egypt participated in the Africa-Singapore Business Forum organised by Enterprise Singapore.
Capacity-building is another area of cooperation. In 2020, the Moroccan International Cooperation Agency (AMCI) and Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a Letter of Intent to conduct courses on capacity building for senior government officials from French-speaking African countries. To date, over 1,000 officials from the Maghreb have participated in various capacity building courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme.
Recent highlights
2024
Moroccan King Mohammed VI made a private visit to Singapore in December 2023/January 2024.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan visited Egypt in March.
2023
Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health and Minister in-charge-of Muslim Affairs visited Egypt in January.
Egyptian Chairman of the Commercial Service Yahya El-Watheq Bellah visited Singapore in August to attend the 15th Leaders in Governance Programme and the Africa-Singapore Business Forum.
Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah visited Morocco in October to attend the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Meetings.
Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Maliki Osman visited Egypt and Algeria in November.
2022
Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry made an Official Visit to Singapore in March.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan made an Official Visit to Morocco in July at the invitation of Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita.
Moroccan Senior Advisor to King Mohammad VI André Azoulay visited Singapore in September.
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean visited Egypt in September.
Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Dr Rania Al Mashat visited Singapore in October to attend the “Transition Finance Towards Net Zero” conference.
Minister for Social and Family Development, Second Minister for Health and Minister in-charge-of Muslim Affairs visited Morocco in October.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu visited Egypt in November to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-27).
2019
Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita visited Singapore in October.
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean visited Morocco in November.
2018
Senior Minister of State (Defence) (Foreign Affairs) Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman visited Morocco in March.
Moroccan Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy Mohammed Sajid visited Singapore in April at the invitation of Minister (Transport) and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan under the Middle East Eminent Persons’ Programme.
Tunisian Secretary of State for Economic Diplomacy Hatem Chahreddine Ferjani visited Singapore in February to sign the Singapore-Tunisia Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and to attend the Tunisia Business Forum.
Algerian Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy Fatma Zohra Zerouati visited Singapore in July to attend the Singapore International Water Week.
Moroccan Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water Dr Abdelkader Amara visited Singapore in July to attend the Singapore International Water Week.
Moroccan Vice President of the House of Representatives and Mayor of Casablanca Abdelaaziz Omari visited Singapore in September for the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Association General Assembly.