Apart from the Africa-Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) 2023 and visits by PM Lee Hsien Loong to South Africa and Kenya, 2023 has been a busy year for engagements by African nations with Singapore. Following are highlights of events and activities that have reinforced diplomatic, people-to-people and trade ties that augur well for closer cooperation and collaborations in the future
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) had organised an SBF Africa Overseas Market Workshop in May 2023 in conjunction with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 5-day visit to South Africa and Kenya. It was led by Mr Teo Seng Siong, Vice Chairman of SBF Africa Business Group and Executive Chairman of Pacific International Lines, along with Mr. Venkataramani Srivathsan, Vice Chairman of SBF Africa Business Group and Managing Director of Olam Agri, the delegation of 21 executives from 17 organizations actively participated in a series of briefings, company visits, and networking sessions with local executives.
The workshop not only focused on formal business events but also provided an opportunity for the Singapore delegation to engage in a casual fireside chat on Doing Business in Africa. Moderated by Amit Jain of the NTU-SBF Center for African Studies, this session aimed to create awareness among young adults about the development potential of Africa and inspire them to build businesses in the region.
The inclusion of a student intern in the delegation was a testament to the joint efforts made by the Center and SBF-AfBG Vice Chair Thomas Lim of Wilmar International.
Africa Day 2023
Africa Day was celebrated on 25th May 2023 by the African Diplomatic Missions in Singapore and the occasion was shared with fellow Africans and friends of Africa with a joint message from the heads of missions here: H.E. Daniel Antonio Rosa (Angola), H.E. Mahmoud Assem Mahmoud ElMaghraby (Egypt), Mr. Adam Umar Bako (Nigeria), H.E. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye (Rwanda), and H.E. Ms Madiepetsane Charlotte Lobe (South Africa). They reflected on the achievements and potential of the African continent. They highlighted how The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is among the tools that could help unlock this potential
They also put on record their appreciation by commending on the relations that many African countries enjoy with Singapore: “The recent visit of H.E. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, to South Africa and Kenya, as well as his visit to Rwanda last year, attest the strategic importance that Singapore accords to the African continent.”
29th African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly
In a bid to foster cross-continental partnerships and knowledge exchange, EnterpriseSG participated in the 29th African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly from 3rd to 7th July 2023 which was held in Kinshasa. The event served as a platform for reconnection and collaboration with counterparts from various African National Standards Bodies (NSBs).
The assembly saw enthusiastic engagement from both sides, as discussions centered around advancing standards and promoting sustainable development practices across diverse sectors. Key representatives from EnterpriseSG engaged in productive dialogues with their African counterparts, reaffirming the commitment to mutual growth and cooperation.
A notable highlight of this collaborative effort is the upcoming capacity-building workshop. In conjunction with the Africa Singapore Business Forum, EnterpriseSG is set to organize an insightful workshop. This gathering aims to provide African NSBs with a deep understanding of Singapore’s cutting-edge sustainability building standards. These standards are poised to play a pivotal role in supporting ongoing urbanization efforts and addressing sustainability priorities across the African continent.
4th Singapore Sub-Saharan Africa High-level Ministerial Exchange
SINGAPORE hosted the 4th Singapore Sub-Saharan Africa High-level Ministerial Exchange (AHLMEV) to foster closer collaboration on digitialization and sustanability from 29th to 31st August 2023. This biennial event is a crucial platform for enhancing ties and sharing development experiences between Singapore and countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This year’s theme was “Singapore and Africa: Partners in Digitalisation
and Sustainability.”
Eight Ministers and Deputy Ministers from prominent Sub-Saharan African nations, including Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Uganda, participated in the AHLMEV. The distinguished delegates engaged high-ranking Singaporean officials, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. The visit formed part of the 7th ASBF that started at the end of the AHLMEV programme.
GHANA
EnterpriseSG-Africa Road Trip to Ghana’s Volta Region
The EnterpriseSG-Africa Road Trip to Ghana’s Volta Region was undertaken by EnterpriseSG staff with Rahul Ghosh and CLement Gyan-Mensah to to expand their knowledge of the region and pave the way for a collaborative approach between businesses from Singapore and Ghana in the realms of sustainability and carbon credits.
One of the focal points of their exploration was coffee cultivation, a long-forgotten cash crop in Ghana that had been overshadowed by higher-paying alternatives like cocoa. However, with the rising number of conscious consumers, the team saw an opportunity for coffee growers to showcase this untapped resource and adopt sustainable practices. Their ultimate goal is to develop carbon credits through these processes, aligning with the growing global emphasis on environmental preservation.
Kenya
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Official Visit to Nairobi
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Nairobi, Kenya from 17th to 19th May 2023 where he met Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto. They discussed ways to support growing trade and investment ties as well as welcomed the expansion of bilateral cooperation to include climate change, information and communications technology (ICT), and human resource development.
They also witnessed the signing of three MoUs on Carbon Credits, ICT, and Skills Development. The MOU on carbon credits will promote collaboration under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, including not only the exchange of best practices but collaboration on projects to reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions for mutual benefit. The MOU on ICT cooperation will expand bilateral cooperation to new areas such as cybersecurity and the digitalisation of government services. The MOU on Skills Development focuses on skills development in areas such as leadership and governance, climate change, and urban development.
In a joint press conference with President Ruto, in answer to a question on trade between both countries PM Lee stressed “I think our focus should be to grow the trade and to do it in a way which Kenyan companies can benefit and Kenyan consumers can benefit. And likewise in Singapore, Singapore companies see new business opportunities, and Singapore consumers see new sources of fruit, vegetables, tourism, flowers, so many things which Kenya provides.
Rwanda
Inclusive FinTech Forum
The Inclusive FinTech Forum, a collaboration between the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) and Elevandi – a company set up by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), is a global platform championing Financial Inclusion and FinTech for Good. It is gearing up to revolutionize the African landscape by empowering students and young professionals. It offers free online learning, career opportunities for those interested in pursuing a future in finance and technology. It was held in Kigali Rwanda from the 20th to 22nd of June 2023, it brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and corporates from around the world.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaking at the Inclusive FinTech Forum thanked the MAS for partnering with Rwanda and acknowledged how “Singapore partners with Rwanda in many other fields and this time it is to bring businesses in Rwanda and Singapore closer together. This is a practical demonstration of the good relations between our two countries.”
South Africa
Visit of South Africa’s Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Pravin Gordhan
On 5th May 2023, Singapore’s Minister of State and Member of Parliament, Mr Alvin Tan, along with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong, had the honour of receiving the visit of South Africa’s Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Pravin Gordhan, at the Ministry of Trade & Industry in Singapore. They explored various economic opportunities and possibilities that exist between Singapore and South Africa, and to strengthen connectivity and build economic and people-to-people ties.
During the meeting, they discussed potential opportunities in areas such as green energy, ports, innovation, and manufacturing, while sharing valuable insights and information about Singapore’s energy ecosystem. Both Singapore and South Africa are significant gateways to their respective regions, and the ministers emphasized the importance of building stronger connectivity and fostering more robust economic ties between the two countries.
Minister Tan also took the opportunity to share with Minister Gordhan a sentimental item that has been in his office for almost two decades- a poster of Nelson Mandela. He received this gift from a former South African High Commissioner to Singapore who had visited an after-school care center for kids from vulnerable homes and told stories about Madiba. The gift holds a special place in Minister Tan’s heart and serves as a reminder of the deep connection between Singapore and South Africa.
Northern Cape Premier and Delegation Visit
Singapore has the potential to benefit significantly from the recent visit of Dr. Zamani Saul, Premier of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, and his delegation to the city-state. The three-day visit, which took place from 24th to 26th April 2023, aimed to promote the Northern Cape in South East Asia and learn best practices from Singapore’s fast-growing economy.
During the visit, the delegation was accompanied by four Members of Executive Council (MECs) and senior government officials within the economic development cluster. The South African High Commissioner in Singapore, HE Madiepetsane Charlotte Lobe, facilitated several engagements with the delegation and strategic stakeholders in Singapore.
The visit showcased the untapped potential of the Northern Cape and introduced it as a “hidden treasure”. Singapore can benefit from engaging in trade and investment with a region that has yet to be fully explored by other countries.
South Africa Focus Week 30th Anniversary of South Africa – Singapore Ties
As part of the 30th Anniversary celebrations commemorating diplomatic ties between South Africa and Singapore, the High Commission of the Republic of South Africa organised the South Africa Focus Week from the 25th to 30th of September 2023. The series of events brought together several government institutions as well as organisations from a diverse range of sectors that included manufacturing, agriculture, food production and processing, wines, tourism, property, gold and diamond trade, fashion and creative industries.
Some of the events included a Youth Dialogue hosted by the country’s National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), followed by a Women’s Roundtable Dialogue hosted by Charlotte Maxeke Institute before ending with a South African food and beverage event complemented with an African fashion display and music peformances!
Business engagements were also arranged in B2B meetings to spur bilateral trade and investment interactions. Individuals from various South Affrican organisations such as the Limpopo Economic Development, Environment & Tourism, Limpopo Economic Development Agency, Fetakgomo-Tubatse Industrial Park, Musina-Makhado SEZ, Limpopo Tourism Agency, Corridor Mining Resources, Musina Local Municipality Free-State Arts and Culture, North-West Economic Development, Department of Small Business Development and National Arts and Culture.
South Africa Vice President Official Visit to Singapore
The Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, HE Paul Mashatile arrived in Singapore for an Official Visit from 10th to 12th December 2023. The visit is undertaken at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Mr Heng Swee Keat. This is his first official visit to Singapore in his current capacity. Singapore and South Africa enjoy a broad-based partnership, with bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, air connectivity, information and communications technology, and skills development. Deputy President Mashatile met Singapore’s President Tarman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long. The high level engagements focused on how the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Singapore and South Africa can be used as the springboard to build new frontiers in the bilateral trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people relations. During the visit the Deputy President and his delegation visited the Marina Barrage and ITE College Central, and received a briefing on Singapore’s SkillsFuture movement. Deputy President Mashatile also delivered a public lecture at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
