Singapore and Colombia discussed business links, urban planning, transport, housing and sustainable city development.
Minister of State (MOS) for Foreign Affairs and National Development Alvin Tan visited Bogotá, Colombia, from 8 to 17 September 2026 as part of his visit to Latin America. The visit was his first to the region in his current capacity and included engagements with Singaporean companies and Bogotá’s municipal authorities.
During his time in Bogotá, Mr. Tan met leaders of Singaporean companies over dinner to hear about their operations and contributions in Colombia. Singaporean companies have established a presence in areas including port operations, global shipping, agriculture and supply chains, contributing to economic activity and business connections between Singapore and Colombia.
Mr. Tan also visited the Bogotá Mayor’s Office, where he exchanged views with the Mayor’s team on city planning and urban development. The discussions covered Singapore and Bogotá’s different geographical and urban contexts, with Singapore being a low-lying tropical island city-state and Bogotá a high-altitude Andean metropolis.
The two sides shared experiences in managing cities and discussed areas including housing, transport connectivity, public safety and greenery. The exchange provided an opportunity for officials to compare approaches to urban planning and the development of liveable cities.
Mr. Tan invited the Mayor’s team to participate in the World Cities Summit in Mexico next year, where officials from Singapore and Bogotá could continue exchanging experiences and perspectives on city development.
His engagements in Bogotá were part of his wider visit to Colombia and Chile from 8 to 17 September 2026. The visit provided opportunities to engage Singaporean businesses and local authorities while exchanging views on economic and urban development issues.
Source: Facebook/Alvin Tan 陈圣辉
