MFA Press Statement: State Visit by President S R Nathan to the State of Kuwait, 3 - 6 November 2008

President S R Nathan will make a State Visit to the State of Kuwait from 3 to 6 November 2008 at the invitation of the Amir of the State of Kuwait HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. This will be the first State Visit from Singapore to the Gulf region.

In Kuwait, President Nathan will meet senior Kuwaiti leaders including Amir Sheikh Sabah, Prime Minister HE Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Jabir Al-Khalid Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Speaker of the National Assembly HE Jassem Mohamed Al-Khurafi.

President Nathan will witness the signing of three agreements. First, the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs will sign an Agreement on Establishing a Joint Committee for Co-Operation Between the Government of the State of Kuwait and the Government of the Republic of Singapore. The Joint Committee is a platform for both Ministries to promote bilateral cooperation in a wide variety of areas that would include trade and investment, energy, culture, science and information. It will also follow up on agreements signed between the two countries. Second, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) of Kuwait will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Co-Operation in E-Government. This is the third MOU under which IDA will provide consultancy services to CAIT on e-Government projects. Third, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services, establishing an Open Skies Agreement (OSA) between Kuwait and Singapore. The OSA will allow carriers of both Kuwait and Singapore to operate any number of air services between and beyond the two countries.

President Nathan will be accompanied by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Members of Parliament Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong and Dr Fatimah Lateef, and senior officials.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
2 NOVEMBER 2008