Gala dinner celebrated friendship, partnership and bridges between South Africa and Singapore.
Sun Media Editor-in-Chief, Ms. Nomita Dhar, attended the Official Opening Gala Dinner of South Africa Focus Week 2026, hosted by the South African High Commission in Singapore on 21 September 2026. Held under the theme “Celebrating Friendship, Partnership and the Bridges Between South Africa and Singapore”, the gala dinner featured remarks by High Commissioner H.E. Madiepetsane Charlotte Lobe on bilateral relations, economic ties and people-to-people connections.
The gala dinner formed part of South Africa Focus Week 2026, which featured engagements involving government, business, academia and other institutions. The programme focused on identifying opportunities for cooperation and promoting practical partnerships in areas including trade, investment, technology, infrastructure, logistics, agriculture, aviation and skills development.
In her address, H.E. Madiepetsane Charlotte Lobe highlighted the High Commission’s efforts to deepen economic and people-to-people relations between the two countries. She outlined five priorities: “Work with South Africa, trade with South Africa, invest in South Africa, visit South Africa and be a friend of South Africa.”
The High Commissioner also cited Enterprise Singapore figures showing bilateral trade between South Africa and Singapore reached SGD 1.72 billion in 2025. She emphasised that the relationship extended beyond trade statistics, with cooperation also developing in technology and innovation, infrastructure, aviation, logistics, agriculture, water, digitisation and skills development.
Singapore’s representative at the event noted that South Africa was Singapore’s second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa in 2025, with bilateral goods trade of about SGD 1.73 billion. Singapore companies had also invested more than SGD 1.5 billion in South Africa, with businesses exploring opportunities in transport and logistics, innovation and technology, finance and manufacturing.
The evening also featured the South Africa Friendship and Partnership Awards 2026, recognising individuals, institutions and organisations whose contributions through diplomacy, business, investment, education, culture, sport, media and innovation had supported relations between the two countries.
Sun Media was selected to receive an award in recognition of its meaningful contribution to the work of the South African High Commission and the success of South Africa Focus Week 2026. The recognition acknowledged Sun Media as a “Friend of South Africa in Singapore” for its contribution to supporting engagement and relations between South Africa and Singapore.
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporter
