Singapore, Ethiopia exploring cooperation in areas such as transport, digitalisation

They may be 7,000km apart and vastly different in size, but Singapore and Ethiopia share deep, common bonds such as being multicultural societies and hubs of their respective regions, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

- Gabrielle Chan

Singapore and Ethiopia also share a determination to strengthen their bilateral relationship, and are exploring the possibility of cooperation in new areas such as transport, digitalisation and capacity-building, he added.

PM Wong said this in a toast on June 5 at a dinner he hosted at the Istana for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who arrived here on June 4 for a three-day official visit.

Noting that Singapore-based firms are interested in expanding their operations in Ethiopia in sectors such as agriculture, logistics and aircraft maintenance, PM Wong said: “Prime Minister Abiy and I are committed to take the bilateral relationship to greater heights.”

On June 5, Mr Abiy had separate meetings with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and PM Wong, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

At their meeting, President Tharman and Mr Abiy reaffirmed the friendly ties between the two countries, and noted that 2024 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, said MFA.