Abdullah bin Zayed emphasised the strength and vibrancy of the relations between the UAE and Singapore, and the development they witnessed in all fields…reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, received Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, to discuss ways of advancing bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation.
The two ministers also took stock of the latest regional and global issues and developments of mutual interest.
They reviewed the participation of the Republic of Singapore in Expo 2020 Dubai, the outcomes of this prominent global event, and its role in developing innovative solutions that support efforts to achieve sustainable development in societies.
Abdullah bin Zayed emphasised the strength and vibrancy of the relations between the UAE and Singapore, and the development they witnessed in all fields.
For his part, Dr. Balakrishnan affirmed his country’s aspiration to bolster joint cooperation with the UAE in light of the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries.
Earlier, Singapore Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu Hai Yien, said that the country is keen to collaborate with the UAE through new projects and solutions, as well as the exchange of expertise to achieve low-carbon economy.
During Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), she said that the UAE has many ideas and strategies to decarbonise its economy and “that’s exactly where Singapore is heading as well”.
“In this journey of decarbonisation, there will be many new opportunities and technologies [which need to be tested and piloted]. So, I’m here to explore the opportunities for us to work together in this new phase of sustainable development,” Minister said.
One of the areas of interest for Singapore to explore here is sustainable food, in which Minister Grace Fu believes the UAE is progressing well.
“We are looking at low-carbon, high-efficiency production because resources are very scarce. We want to reduce our water usage, our energy usage and get the best system up there, so we can produce food sustainably,” she said, adding that Singapore is developing a new area, similar to the UAE’s Food Tech Valley, to meet its food security goals.
Launched last year by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Food Tech Valley is an initiative that seeks to triple the UAE’s food production by creating an integrated modern city that will serve as a hub for future clean tech-based food and agricultural products and an incubator for researchers, entrepreneurs, startups and industry experts.