As Singapore celebrates six decades of independence, the Egyptian Embassy marks the occasion with a message of goodwill and a look back at the longstanding Egypt–Singapore relationship.
Singapore, July 2025 — As part of IN Diplomacy’s Singapore National Day Edition Feature, this special report highlights the evolving and multi-faceted relations between Egypt and Singapore from July 2024 to July 2025 — a year marked by high-level exchanges, deepening economic ties, and closer cooperation in religious and social sectors.
Egypt, which was the first Arab and Middle Eastern nation to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965, formally established diplomatic relations in 1966. Since then, bilateral ties have remained consistently warm, grounded in shared interests and mutual respect.
Over the past 12 months, both nations have sustained regular high-level engagement. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the final day of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 18–19 November 2024, reaffirming bilateral cooperation on global platforms. Earlier, on 23 September 2024, Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan met his Egyptian counterpart Dr Badr Abdelatty in New York during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman visited Egypt in December 2024 to attend the Cairo Ministerial Conference on Gaza. During his trip, he held bilateral talks with Minister Abdelatty and reiterated Singapore’s support for regional humanitarian efforts and intergovernmental dialogue.
In January 2025, Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli conducted a working visit to Egypt. He met with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the Minister of Religious Endowments, and the Minister of Social Solidarity, exploring avenues for cooperation in religious education and social welfare.
Egypt also sent senior officials to Singapore. In April 2025, Minister of Social Solidarity Dr Maya Morsy participated in the International Conference on Societies of Opportunities. She held extensive discussions with Minister Masagos to expand collaboration in community development and women’s empowerment. In June 2025, His Eminence Dr Nazir Mohamed Ayyad, Egypt’s Grand Mufti, visited Singapore and was received by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The meeting underscored the countries’ shared values and highlighted the importance of dialogue between religious and academic institutions.
On the strategic front, Major General Hany Shabana, Head of the Military Researches Authority, led the Egyptian delegation to the 22nd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore from May to June 2025, engaging with regional partners on defence and security issues.
Economic relations continue to be a cornerstone of bilateral ties. Singapore is the fifth-largest Asian investor in Egypt, with investments totalling approximately USD 1 billion in sectors such as logistics, agriculture, IT, food processing, and plastics. These ventures have supported local job creation and contributed to Egypt’s export capacity.
In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached USD 360 million. Singapore’s exports to Egypt totalled USD 267 million, while imports from Egypt stood at USD 93 million. Both countries have expressed the political will to expand these figures through further collaboration in trade and industry.
Additionally, the Singapore Cooperation Programme has trained nearly 700 Egyptian officials over the past 30 years, fostering skills development and technical exchange. Egypt, for its part, has supported Singaporean students pursuing Islamic studies at Al Azhar University and welcomed the planned Singapore College of Islamic Studies as a platform for future cooperation.
The coming months are set to bring further momentum to this longstanding relationship, with Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam scheduled to visit Egypt in the final quarter of 2025. The visit is expected to open new chapters in bilateral engagement, reflecting shared aspirations in diplomacy, development, and dialogue.
