MFA Press Statement: Ninth Meeting of the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee Sydney, Australia, 18 March 2016

                Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang and Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen will attend the ninth meeting of the Singapore – Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) to be held in Sydney, Australia on 18 March 2016. Australia will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Minister for Defence Marise Payne, Minister for Trade and Investment Steven Ciobo and Special Envoy for Trade Andrew Robb. The SAJMC will be co-chaired by Minister Balakrishnan and Minister Bishop.

                Established in 1996, the SAJMC is a high-level bilateral dialogue mechanism that is hosted alternately between Singapore and Australia. The SAJMC provides an opportunity for Singapore and Australian Ministers to review bilateral cooperation and exchange views on regional and international developments.

                The SAJMC meeting was last held in Singapore in August 2014.

                With the signing of the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in June 2015, the Ninth SAJMC meeting will also provide an opportunity for the Ministers to take stock of the progress made on the CSP, building on the positive momentum from Minister Balakrishnan’s introductory visit to Australia from 3 to 4 March 2016. The CSP aims to strengthen bilateral relations in various sectors, including trade and investment, defence and security, foreign affairs, and people-to-people ties.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

17 MARCH 2016