Remarks by President Halimah Yacob at the Uzbekistan-Singapore Business Forum

Your Excellency Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister

Your Excellency Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade

Members of the Singapore and Uzbekistan business delegations

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

I am pleased to be at the Singapore-Uzbekistan Business Forum, jointly organised by the Singapore Business Federation and the Uzbekistan Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade in conjunction with my State Visit to Uzbekistan. In fact, this is the first ever visit by a Singapore President to Uzbekistan since diplomatic ties were established in 1997.

This morning, I had a productive meeting with His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev who had also graciously hosted a State Luncheon at the Kuksaroy Palace in my honour. President Mirziyoyev made a State Visit to Singapore in January this year. It is not typical to organise an exchange of State Visits within such a short period and this reflects the growing interest of both countries to explore closer cooperation. With President Mirziyoyev’s continued support, I am confident that Singapore-Uzbekistan relations will strengthen in the years to come.      

I am happy that we have with us at this forum 21 representatives from various Singapore and Singapore-based companies.

In today’s global landscape, geopolitical tensions and fragmentation have become a growing concern. As such, economic resilience and diversification have become increasingly important. Companies need to be proactive in finding new markets and source for opportunities to ensure continued success.

Uzbekistan is the most populous country in the Central Asian region with a population of 35 million, and a rising middle class. Under the leadership of President Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, and is increasingly open to foreign investments.

A number of Singapore companies have successfully ventured into Uzbekistan in a variety of sectors, including in master-planning, logistics, digital connectivity, education, and capacity building. I was pleased to note that more than 20 Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) were signed between our agencies and companies during President Mirziyoyev’s State Visit to Singapore in January. I am glad that more Singapore companies, including Changi Airport International will be exchanging MOUs with their Uzbek partners this afternoon.

One area of particular promise is tourism. Uzbekistan boasts a rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes which are sure to appeal to visitors from around the world. I am looking forward to visiting Samarkand tomorrow, which has been a crossroad of cultures for over two millennia. The Registan Square is truly a masterpiece of Islamic architecture dating back to the 15^th century and a testament to the skill and ingenuity of the Uzbek people. From the towering minarets of Bukhara to the majestic madrasahs of Samarkand, it is no wonder that tourists arrive in droves every year to Uzbekistan to visit these iconic cultural sites. As such, I am pleased to witness the exchange of a MOU between the Singapore Tourism Board and the Uzbek Ministry of Culture and Tourism to explore collaboration in the tourism sector. I also welcome more Uzbek visitors to Singapore. This will also help strengthen people-to-people ties and boost connectivity between our two countries.   

In closing, I wish the companies a fruitful and productive engagement. I encourage everyone to tap onto this platform to exchange ideas, gain insights into the opportunities, and build new partnerships.

Thank you.