MFA Press Statement: Visit of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli to Kuwait, 19 to 20 April 2015

        Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli visited Kuwait from 19 to 20 April 2015.  During his visit, Minister Masagos called on First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Khalid Sulaiman Al Jarallah, where they discussed regional issues including the deteriorating situation in Yemen.  They agreed that as small states, Singapore and Kuwait shared common challenges and there was scope to cooperate for mutual benefit.

               Minister Masagos separately met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Mohammed Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence HE Lt. Gen. Sheikh Khaled Al Jarrah Al Sabah.  They had a good exchange of views on regional security developments including the coalition’s efforts to counter the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  Both Deputy Prime Ministers and Minister Masagos agreed that the international community needed to work closely together to tackle the issue of radicalisation.  In this regard, Minister Masagos said that Singapore was happy to share the experiences of the Religious Rehabilitation Group.  Minister Masagos also welcomed Kuwaiti officials to study Singapore’s experience in using data analytics and behavioural science to fight crime.      

        On 20 April, Minister Masagos delivered the opening address at a seminar organised by the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to promote business opportunities in both countries.  A 19-member SBF delegation is visiting Kuwait and southern Iraq on a business mission.  Minister Masagos was also hosted to lunch by former Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Al Mohamed Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah.  He thanked Sheikh Nasser for attending the Lying-in-State of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew in his capacity as Special Envoy of the Emir of Kuwait.  Sheikh Nasser expressed admiration for Mr Lee’s legacy as a statesman who had transformed Singapore to serve as a model for nation-building. 

        Minister Masagos departs for Bahrain today on the second leg of his visit to the Gulf.      

.    .    .    .    .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
21 APRIL 2015

Speech by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli on the occasion of the 30^th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Singapore on 19 April 2015 in Kuwait

Your Excellency Khalid Sulaiman Al Jarallah

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait,

Distinguished Guests,

Fellow Singaporeans,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

               I am delighted to be making my first official visit to Kuwait and in particular to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Kuwait.  Political ties between our two countries are excellent.  Our then-President S R Nathan made Singapore’s first ever State Visit to a Gulf country in 2008 when he visited Kuwait.  Singapore was also honoured that His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah visited Singapore in 2004 as then-Prime Minister.      

2             The warm relations between Singapore and Kuwait are underpinned by the common challenges we face as small states in the international system.  We have a shared belief in the importance of maintaining our independence and sovereignty as small states.  Hence, Singapore had strongly supported Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait in 1991, and continued to support Kuwait on important issues once the conflict was over.  Our mutual understanding of the security challenges we face as small states have fostered a strong cooperative relationship at the multilateral level.  

3             Singapore and Kuwait have cooperated and exchanged experiences with each other in a wide range of areas of mutual concern.  One area where we have made much progress is in public sector training.  Earlier tonight, I witnessed a signing ceremony to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation and Exchange in the area of Capacity Building between the Civil Service College of Singapore and the Civil Service Commission of Kuwait.  A total of 30 public sector leaders in Kuwait have benefited from the Strategic Leadership Programme that had been organised between 2010 and 2014 as a result of the previous iteration of this MOU.  The MOU has also facilitated the training of specialists in the aviation and health sectors respectively.  It is timely for us to renew this MOU, as a symbol of our continued commitment to pursue excellence in government through training of officials.

4             I am also delighted that the Singapore Business Federation has organised a business mission in conjunction with my visit.  Kuwait is Singapore’s 4^th largest trading partner in the region, with bilateral trade growing to US$3.36 billion in 2014.  Even though we have made substantial progress in building our trade links, there is more we can do with the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Singapore (GSFTA) in September 2013.  I am glad that Kuwait has implemented the GSFTA earlier this year.  The GSFTA will provide a comprehensive framework to add further substance to our strong economic links.  As Kuwait pursues its ambitious development plans, Singapore businesses stand to benefit from the opportunities arising.  In turn, we welcome more Kuwaiti companies such as Agility Logistics and the National Bank of Kuwait to establish a presence in Singapore to engage the wider Asian market. 

5             Our ties at the people-to-people level have also grown steadily.  Since 1980, Kuwait has provided scholarships for Singapore students to pursue their secondary education in Kuwait.  More than 40 students have benefited and the number continues to grow.  With us tonight are several students who are currently pursuing their studies in Kuwait.  They are Singapore’s unofficial ambassadors in Kuwait.  I would like to thank Kuwait for the generosity, kindness and hospitality shown to our students. 

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen,  

6             Our two nations have relatively short histories.  Kuwait recently celebrated its 54^th National Day in February while Singapore will be celebrating our 50^th National Day in August.  As young nations, the foundations laid by our pioneer leaders have been vital in ensuring the steady growth and development of our two countries.  For Singapore, our celebrations will be marked by a tinge of sadness.  As many of you are aware, we bade farewell to our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew recently.  Mr Lee devoted his life to build a successful Singapore and we in Singapore are enjoying the fruits of his labours.  Mr Lee, who visited Kuwait in 2006, had firmly believed that it was important for Singapore, as a small nation, to have friends all over the world for us to succeed.  We are grateful therefore that His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al Mohammed Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, the former Prime Minister of Kuwait, had travelled to Singapore to pay his last respects as Kuwait’s representative.     

7             Let me conclude by thanking His Excellency Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Undersecretary Khalid Sulaiman Al Jarallah, for the kind hospitality shown to me and my delegation.  I would also like to convey our best wishes to His Highness the Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah for the continued peace and prosperity of the people of Kuwait.   I am confident that the friendship between our two countries will continue to deepen in the years ahead. 

8             Thank you.

.    .    .    .    .