State Visit to Singapore

On 19–21 November, HM The King paid a State Visit to Singapore at the invitation of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Sweden’s Government was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson, State Secretary Håkan Jevrell from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and State Secretary Miriam Söderström from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Around 50 Swedish companies, government agencies and higher education institutions took part in the business delegation arranged by Business Sweden.

The aim of the State Visit was to consolidate and develop the good relations between Sweden and Singapore and strengthen economic and political ties, focusing on trade, innovation, investment and green transition.

More than ten Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between Sweden and Singapore’s Governments, authorities, businesses and universities were signed in connection with the Visit.

On 21 November, an MoU ceremony was held in conjunction with a meeting between the King and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

At the ceremony, Singapore’s Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung and Ms Malmer Stenergard exchanged five signed MoUs on health care, defence, energy, transport and civil aviation. The agreements signed included an energy-related MoU signed by Mr Carlson, a health and medical care MoU signed by Ms Söderström, and an amendment agreement about defence materiel, signed by State Secretary from the Ministry of Defence Peter Sandwall. MoUs concerning transport and civil aviation were signed by the Swedish Transport Administration and LFV (Air Navigation Services of Sweden) respectively.

During the Visit, Ms Malmer Stenergard met with Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and other government representatives, and took part in security and trade-related talks. She also gave a speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank.

During the Visit, Mr Carlson met with representatives of the Singaporean Government, including Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat. Mr Carlson’s programme also included visits to the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority and Singapore’s port and airport, and meetings with airlines.