MFA Press Statement: 12th Singapore-Brunei Exchange Visit, 31 March - 2 April 2006

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Yeo, will lead a delegation of Ministers, senior officials and private sector representatives to Brunei Darussalam for the 12th Singapore-Brunei Exchange Visit from 31 March to 2 April 2006. This visit is part of a regular series of exchanges between Singapore and Brunei that began in 1990. Held alternately in the two countries, the Exchange allows political leaders, civil servants and businessmen of the two countries to build a strong working relationship through interaction in an informal setting. Singapore hosted the last Exchange in August 2004.

The Singapore delegation includes Minister for Defence Mr Teo Chee Hean, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Law Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Information, Communications and the Arts Mr Yatiman Yusof. The delegation also includes senior civil servants and private sector representatives.

The Singapore Ministers and senior officials will have an audience with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. They will also be having separate bilateral meetings with their Brunei counterparts to exchange views on bilateral and regional issues. The Singapore delegation will be hosted to meals by Brunei Foreign Minister Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and Second Foreign Minister Pehin Lim Jock Seng. In keeping with the tradition of the Exchange, there will also be a friendly golf tournament between the Singapore delegation and their Bruneian counterparts.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
30 MARCH 2006