Sub-Saharan Africa

Recent Highlights

Singapore hosted the following visits by leaders of African countries in 2008-2009:

• The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Mr Youssouf Bakayoko, in March 2008

• The President of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr Paul Kagame, in May 2008

• The President of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Mr Fradique de Menezes, in May 2008

• The Minister of Economy, Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Madagascar, Mr Ivohasina Fizara Razafimahefa, in May 2008

• The Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Essop Pahad, in February and June 2008

• The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, Ms Luisa Dias Diego, in July 2008

• The Minister of Science and Technology of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ms Grace Ekpiwhre, in August 2008

• The Minister of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises and Commerce & Cooperatives, Mr Rajeshwar Jeetah, in September 2009

• The former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, in September 2008

• The President of the Republic of Malawi, Mr Bingu Wa Mutharika, in September 2008

• The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, in October 2008

• The Minister of Nairobi Metropolitian Development of the Republic of Kenya, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, in November 2008

• The Minister of State for Economic Monitoring of the Republic of Uganda, Mr Kagimu Kiwanuka, in January 2009

Visits by Singapore Ministers to countries in Africa in 2008-2009:

• Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Zainul Abidin Rasheed visited Rwanda, Angola and South Africa from 26 March to 4 April 2008. He also attended the UNCTAD XII Session in Ghana and visited Senegal in April 2008.

• The Minister for Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean, visited South Africa in May 2008

• The Minister for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Yaacob Ibrahim, visited Kenya for 25th Session of UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in February 2009

Key Bilateral Visits in 2007:

• Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Gabonese Republic, Mr Jean Ping, in February 2007. Singapore and Gabon established diplomatic relations during this visit.

• The Minister of Justice of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr Assefa Kesito, in February 2007

• The President of the Republic of Uganda, Mr Yoweri Keguta Museveni, in March 2007

• The Minister for Public Enterprises of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Alexander Erwin, in March 2007

• President S R Nathan made State Visits to South Africa, Namibia and Botswana in April-May 2007. President Nathan’s visits were the first by a Singapore Head of State to these countries.

• Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Wong Kan Seng, led the Singapore delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda in November 2007.

• Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Zainul Abidin Rasheed visited Zambia, Ethiopia and Nigeria in November 2007

Press Room

• Official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Youssouf Bakayoko, 6-7 March 2008
• MFA Press Statement: Visit by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed to Rwanda, Angola and South Africa, 26 March - 5 April 2008
• MFA Press Statement: Call On Rwanda President Paul Kagame by Senior Minister Of State For Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed, 28 March 2008
• Call on Rwanda President Paul Kagame by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed, 28 March 2008
• MFA Press Statement: Visit of Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed to Cape Town, South Africa, 1 - 4 April 2008
• MFA Press Statement: Official Visit of President Paul Kagame of The Republic Of Rwanda, 20-23 May 2008
• Visit by African Policy Makers, 16 July 2008
• MFA Press Statement: Official Visit Of Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Of The Republic Of Mauritius, 8-9 October 2008

North Africa (Maghreb)

Singapore enjoys friendly ties with countries in the Maghreb. Relations with the region have steadily progressed, driven in part by high-level visits to explore opportunities for closer political and economic collaboration. His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco made a State Visit to Singapore in April 2005, while Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong visited Algeria and Tunisia in April 2006, Morocco in January 2007 and Libya in May 2008 and September 2009. Foreign Minister George Yeo also visited Libya in May 2007. Economically, Singapore and the Maghreb countries have strived to create a more business-friendly environment. Singapore has signed an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with Morocco and an Avoidance of Double Taxation Convention (DTC) and an Investment Guarantee Agreement (IGA) with Libya. Singapore has also established a Joint Working Group with Libya to coordinate economic cooperation, and concluded an Air Services Agreement with Morocco. The Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian embassies in Jakarta are accredited to Singapore, while Singapore has appointed Non-Resident Ambassadors (NRAs) to these countries. Singapore values its relationship with the Middle East as a key political, economic and social region of the world, and will continue its meaningful engagement with a region with which it shares a number of cultural and historical links.