MFA Press Statement: State Visit of President Thabo Mbeki to Singapore, 21 April 2005

President Thabo Mbeki made a State Visit to Singapore on 21 April 2005. President Mbeki called on President S R Nathan and met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Prime Minister Lee congratulated President Mbeki on South Africa's Co-Chairmanship of the Asian-African Summit. The leaders held substantive discussions on key developments in both Asia and Africa, in particular how Africa could build links with Asia, especially in light of the upcoming Asian-African Summit to be held in Jakarta from 22-23 April 2005. Both sides agreed that the forthcoming Asian-African Summit must lead to practical results that would benefit both regions.

On bilateral relations, President Thabo Mbeki agreed to commence talks on a Free Trade Agreement between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Singapore. SACU, which comprises South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho, will discuss this proposal at the SACU's Council of Ministers' Meeting next week. President Mbeki also thanked Singapore for the technical assistance extended to South Africa under the Singapore Cooperation Programme and looked forward to further cooperation in the area of human resource development. He felt that Singapore's technical assistance programmes have raised the skills level of South African civil servants.

President Mbeki and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Singapore concerning Bilateral Cooperation. The MOU sets out specific areas in which Singapore and South Africa can cooperate on. This includes trade and investment, tourism, maritime Affairs, academic cooperation, human resources development and crime and terrorism. Both sides will also work towards a more liberal air services agreement with a view to concluding an Open Skies Agreement.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
21 APRIL 2005