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Singapore's Prime Minister Makes First Official Visit to South Africa

© Photo Twitter / @PresidencyZASouth Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa with the Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa with the Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 16.05.2023
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The visit comes amid the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries ahead of South Africa’s democratic transition. Singapore is one of South Africa's largest trading partners in Southeast Asia, with trade between the two countries totaling approximately $2.7 billion in 2022, SA state media said.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has held talks with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Cape Town, according to a press release from the South African president.
The two men reportedly discussed cooperation in such "focused on the future" areas as digitalization, communications and technology, water and sanitation, and skills development, among others.

"We have also agreed to deepen our cooperation on science and innovation," the South African president said.

In addition, Ramaphosa noted the growing global role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and in this regard, the parties discussed a possible application by South Africa to become a sector dialogue partner with the organization.

"Further deepening the cooperation between South Africa and ASEAN would open up opportunities in various fields, such as trade, infrastructure development, technology transfer, education, science, innovation and tourism," Ramaphosa stressed.

Singapore's prime minister was accompanied on his first official visit to the country by leading business people who will participate in a business roundtable with the leaders of the countries.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 15.05.2023
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At a joint press conference with Ramaphosa following the signing of two memorandums of understanding in the information and communications technology area, Lee described the bilateral relationship as Singapore’s most broad-based one in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Lee's statement before the visit, the main goal of the talks was to discuss how to deepen cooperation between Singapore and South Africa.

In the same statement, Singapore's prime minister noted that the partnership between two countries has developed steadily since the exchange of visits between PM Lee Kuan Yew and President Nelson Mandela in 1992 and 1997, respectively.
This high-level visit is preceded by an official visit undertaken by South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, to Singapore in July 2022.
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