PM Wong to visit Qatar, UAE in first trip to Middle East since taking office

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make official visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Oct 18 to 22, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Saturday (Oct 17).

The trip will be his first to the Middle East region as prime minister.

“The visits will provide a timely opportunity for Singapore to exchange views with regional leaders on developments in the Middle East, reaffirm our support for dialogue and diplomacy, and strengthen cooperation with Qatar and the UAE in areas of mutual interest, particularly energy security and economic resilience,” said the PMO.

In the first leg of the trip, Mr Wong will be visiting Qatar from Oct 18 to 20, where he will call on Emir Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani.

Both leaders will co-chair the ninth Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee, which is the primary platform for advancing cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Wong will also meet with Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Jassim Al Thani.

The visit comes amid an ongoing Middle East conflict that has disrupted the flow of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the region to Singapore.

Qatar is a key exporter of natural gas to Singapore, supplying around 25 per cent of Singapore’s total LNG imports, according to data compiled by the World Bank.

Around 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity generation is powered by imported natural gas, comprising LNG and pipeline gas from its neighbouring countries.

Qatar also shares a warm defence cooperation with Singapore, with Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing visiting the emirate earlier in October.

For the second part of his trip from Oct 20, Mr Wong will head to Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he will be calling on UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan.

He is also expected to meet Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Sheikh Khaled Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan, who made an official visit to Singapore in 2024.

After that, Mr Wong will meet Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Maktoum Mohamed Rashid Al Maktoum.

Last year, Singapore and the UAE marked 40 years of diplomatic ties. Both countries elevated bilateral relations with the Singapore-UAE Comprehensive Partnership in 2019, and co-operate in various fields including defence, energy and water sustainability.

Both Qatar and the UAE have robust economic relations with Singapore. In terms of trade, they are Singapore’s third largest and largest trading partner among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries respectively.

Singapore’s delegation to both countries includes Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan; Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry and PMO will also be attending the visits.

Mr Wong will also meet overseas Singaporeans at receptions in Doha and Dubai, said the PMO.

In Mr Wong's absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade) Gan Kim Yong will be the acting prime minister.