Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan joins ASEAN counterparts in Kuala Lumpur to deepen collaboration on trade, energy security, and digital growth.
At the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan had a wide-ranging discussion with his counterparts on deepening ASEAN’s economic integration, enhancing supply chain resilience, and harnessing the potential of the digital and green economies, through initiatives such as the upgrading of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). The Meeting agreed on the importance of accelerating the establishment of the ASEAN Power Grid to advance the region’s clean energy transition efforts and strengthen our collective energy security. The AMM also reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to uphold an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture, including through ongoing efforts to expand and strengthen cooperation with its external partners.
The AMM also welcomed Timor-Leste’s forthcoming accession as ASEAN’s 11th member at the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit in October 2025. Dr Balakrishnan reiterated Singapore’s strong support for Timor-Leste’s readiness through capacity-building initiatives under the Singapore–Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (STARS) package and the Singapore Cooperation Programme.
On the sidelines, ASEAN Foreign Ministers, including Dr Balakrishnan, paid a courtesy call on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and held bilateral discussions with Norwegian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik. Singapore also welcomed the signing of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) by the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Source: MFA
