Singapore’s Minister-in-Charge of Trade Relations, Grace Fu, has urged Africa and Southeast Asia to deepen ties by strengthening people-to-people linkages. She made the call in her speech at the 8th Africa–Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) held in Singapore.
Ms. Fu highlighted the role of the Singapore Cooperation Programme in fostering mutual understanding and collaboration.
Since the inception of the forums, over 14,000 African officials from 54 countries have participated in training programmes in Singapore.
Just last year, officials from 11 African countries took part in a Capacity Building Programme in Trade Negotiations, where negotiators from both regions exchanged valuable insights and experiences.
“These exchanges have proven invaluable in building cultural understanding and friendships among officials,” she noted.
The Minister further emphasized the work of Enterprise Singapore, which continues to facilitate direct business connections through regular missions, workshops, and conferences in Africa. She cited recent initiatives, including:
July last year: Singapore’s Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alvin Tan, led Singapore’s first carbon credits business mission to Ghana to explore joint opportunities.
This September: The Singapore Business Federation will host an Overseas Market Workshop to Egypt, focusing on trade, transport, logistics, and urban infrastructure development.
Closing her remarks with the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” Ms. Fu challenged participants of the 8th ASBF to:
Look beyond the familiar – viewing Africa and Southeast Asia not as separate markets, but as complementary engines of growth.
Take the first step – encouraging African companies to look east, and Singaporean companies to explore Africa, using ASBF as a launching pad for new partnerships.
