MFA Press Statement: 11th Meeting of the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee, Sydney, 29 March 2019

            Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing will participate in the 11^th meeting of the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC) in Sydney, Australia on 29 March 2019. Australia will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham. The SAJMC will be co-chaired by Minister Balakrishnan and Minister Payne.

         Established in 1996 by then-PM Goh Chok Tong and then-PM Paul Keating, the SAJMC is a high-level dialogue mechanism involving the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Ministers of Singapore and Australia.  It is a platform for both sides to discuss bilateral cooperation, including the implementation of the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and exchange views on regional and international developments.

           The 11^th SAJMC meeting keeps up the momentum of high-level exchanges between Singapore and Australia, following PM Lee Hsien Loong’s official visit to Australia in March 2018 and PM Scott Morrison’s visit to Singapore for the 33^rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in November 2018.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

27 MARCH 2019