An official welcoming ceremony for the President of Uzbekistan took place in the Istana Palace of the President of Singapore.

The following article and picture materials have been provided by the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Seoul for publication by The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-language news publications since 1985.—Ed.

On January 17, within the framework of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Singapore, negotiations were held with the President of this country Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
An official welcoming ceremony for the President of Uzbekistan took place in the Istana Palace of the President of Singapore.
A guard of honor lined up in honor of the distinguished guest on the square in front of the palace. The military band played the national anthems of the two countries.

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob are holding talks, Singapore, January 17.
The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob are holding talks, Singapore, January 17.

During the talks between the presidents of the two countries views were exchanged on the prospects for further deepening relations between Uzbekistan and Singapore, cooperation in the reforms for further democratization of social and political life.
Active cooperation in education was noted with satisfaction. The Management Development Institute of Singapore and the TMC Academy successfully operate in Tashkent.
The experience of the two countries in regional cooperation and integration in Central and Southeast Asia was considered in detail.
A high level of mutual understanding and mutual support on international platforms in promoting the initiatives of Uzbekistan and Singapore on current issues of regional stability and sustainable development was noted.

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob are holding talks, Singapore, January 17.
The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of Singapore Halimah Yacob are holding talks, Singapore, January 17.

Following the meeting, key areas for the development of interaction were defined.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Halimah Yacob to visit Uzbekistan at any time convenient for her.
Then, at the Istana residence, the President of Uzbekistan held talks with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.
The current state and prospects for interaction were considered in detail, and the positive dynamics of the development of cooperation in priority areas were noted.

Thus, tangible progress has been made on the trade-economic track. In recent years, the trade turnover has doubled. The number of enterprises operating in Uzbekistan with Singaporean capital has increased 4 times. Direct investments from this country into the Uzbekistan economy amounted to $700 million.
The presence of large reserves for building up practical interaction in many areas was emphasized.
Singapore is the economic center of the Asia-Pacific region. For several years now, the country has maintained the status of one of the largest and most developed economies in the world, relying on its success in such key industries as electronics, chemicals, biotechnology, banking, logistics and transport engineering.

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong are holding a meeting, Singapore, January 17.
The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong are holding a meeting, Singapore, January 17.

Taking this into account, the President of Uzbekistan identified five key areas of cooperation with Singapore shortly.
The first is the development of human capital and the training of highly qualified personnel for public administration. An agreement was reached on the implementation, with the participation of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, of a joint program to train and improve the skills of civil servants in management, urban planning, infrastructure development, digital transformation, innovation, education and healthcare. An intensive retraining program for civil servants will be launched at the Public Administration Academy of Uzbekistan, with the involvement of leading Singaporean experts.
The second area is to involve the Singaporean side in the privatization process in Uzbekistan. In this context, the prospects for the implementation of new projects with the involvement of best practices, modern technologies and the management of leading Singaporean companies as part of the privatization of large enterprises in Uzbekistan were discussed. It was proposed to create a joint Investment Fund for the transformation and restructuring of state-owned enterprises to further launch IPOs and attract foreign investment.
The third priority is the attraction of advanced green technologies and digital solutions. Opportunities for introducing Singapore’s achievements in digitalization, as well as the application of innovations and technologies of this country in green development, were discussed.

The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong are holding a meeting, Singapore, January 17.
The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong are holding a meeting, Singapore, January 17.

The fourth is the improvement of urban infrastructure and communications. Measures for cooperation in urban planning and construction, landscaping, and public utilities have been agreed upon. The first step in this direction was an agreement on the establishment in Uzbekistan of a joint Design and Engineering Center for the implementation of infrastructure and industry projects.
Within the framework of the fifth area of cooperation, the importance of supporting investments and expanding mutual trade by promoting joint projects with leading Singaporean companies was noted.
An agreement was reached on the establishment of an Uzbekistan – Singapore investment company with an authorized capital of $500 million.
The parties exchanged views on the current issues of the international and regional agenda.
Following the meeting, which was held in an open and friendly atmosphere, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Lee Hsien Loong to visit Uzbekistan at any time convenient for him.
Following the talks, a bilateral documents exchange ceremony took place.
In the presence of the heads of delegations, 8 documents providing for further enhancing cooperation between Uzbekistan and Singapore were exchanged.
In particular, agreements on cooperation in education, transport, healthcare, and training of personnel, including civil servants, were adopted.
Agreements were also reached on trade and economic cooperation and interaction between the prosecutor’s offices of the two countries.
The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as part of his state visit to Singapore, visited the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, one of the leading higher education institutions in the world.
 

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