MFA Press Statement: Call By His Royal Highness Prince Philippe, Crown Prince Of The Kingdom Of Belgium, On President S R Nathan And Meeting With Acting Prime Minister Professor S Jayakumar, 27 November 2008

His Royal Highness Prince Philippe, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Belgium, is on an Official Visit to Singapore on 26-28 November 2008.

Prince Philippe and his wife, Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde, paid a courtesy call on President S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan today. During the call, President Nathan welcomed Prince Philippe and reaffirmed the close bilateral ties between both countries. They discussed the impact of the current financial crisis and how Singapore is helping its businesses and people cope with the economic downturn. At the same time, they also noted that Singapore and Belgium could be good investment partners for each other in their respective regions, and that both countries could explore cooperation in R&D, such as in life sciences and medical research.

Before his call on President Nathan, Prince Philippe met Acting Prime Minister Professor S Jayakumar. They had an exchange of views on a broad range of topics, including regional and international developments. They also discussed climate change, combatting terrorism, and strengthening economic cooperation between both countries. After the meetings, Prince Philippe and his delegation were hosted to an official lunch by Acting Prime Minister Professor Jayakumar.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
27 NOVEMBER 2008