Singapore and New Zealand will work together to create greener economies and fight climate change.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern today announced that they will add the two issues to their to-do list as a result of strong bilateral relations.
“They say that during tough times, you’re reminded who your friends are, and it is clear that Singapore is a very close friend of Aotearoa and New Zealand,” Ardern said, using both English and Maori names for her country.
Apart from boasting of their friendliness and signaling their willingness to cooperate, no specific or new policies were announced yet.
Arden, who arrived in Singapore yesterday, was welcomed by Lee and President Halimah Yacob this morning at the Istana, where they held a joint news conference.
An orchid, the Dendrobium Jacinda Ardern, was named in honor of the visiting head of state.
President Halimah and Prime Minister Ardern also discussed the contributions and progress of women and the need to maintain social cohesion in their multicultural countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Singapore’s and New Zealand’s bilateral relations have strengthened since Ardern’s last visit in 2019, when they agreed to work together on a raft of issues including trade, security, technology, and innovation.
Today’s announcement will include adding energy transition technology, carbon markets, sustainable transport and waste management to their domestic agendas. They also introduced initiatives on sustainable aviation, business collaboration, and supply chain resilience.
The PM pair also mentioned the importance of international laws and U.N. principles and “strongly condemned” the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling on everyone to provide assistance to Ukraine.
New Zealand will reopen its borders to visa-free countries, including Singapore, next month.
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