State Banquet in Honour of President Emomali Rahmon

Your Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Singapore is indeed honoured to welcome such an esteemed guest as Your Excellency, as well as your distinguished delegation, on the first State Visit by the President of Tajikistan to Singapore. Your Excellency’s visit is timely as this year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Tajikistan. 

Tajikistan is one of the cradles of civilisation in Central Asia. It has a glorious history and lies along the famed Silk Route passing through the heart of Asia. Your country is also well known for its striking natural beauty.  The Pamir Mountains have numerous magnificent peaks exceeding 7,000 metres. Singapore, on the other hand, is a young island state that has its humble beginnings as a port city.   

These differences in our geography and history mean we have much to share and learn from each other.  I look forward to greater cultural cooperation and exchanges between our countries.  Such cooperation would help our people better understand each other and build stronger links.  I am pleased to note that to-date, more than 20 Tajik officials have attended training programmes in Singapore under the Singapore Cooperation Programme or SCP.

The SCP is our way of sharing our developmental experiences with friends and learning from them in return.  Singapore welcomes more of your officials to participate in the SCP training courses.  Their stay in Singapore will help them better understand Singapore and forge friendships with the Singaporeans and officials from other participating countries they interact with.

Your Excellency

The global economy is showing signs of recovery from one of the worst downturns since the Great Depression.  Asia is recovering, with the Asian Development Bank forecasting GDP growth for developing Asian economies to reach 6.4% in 2010.

As a key regional financial, trade and transportation hub, and home to over 7000 foreign multinational corporations, Singapore can serve as a platform for Tajikistan to engage the Southeast Asian region and beyond. This is an opportunity that we can encourage our private sector to take advantage of. I hope that the businessmen who accompanied Your Excellency to Singapore are successful in forming partnerships with Singaporean businessmen and foreign companies based here to explore investment and business opportunities in Tajikistan, Singapore and the wider Asian region.

Your Excellency

As small countries we have often supported each other in international fora, and I am confident that we will continue to work together in the international arena on issues pertinent to the interest of our countries.

Your visit today has opened a new chapter in our bilateral relations. I deeply appreciate your personal effort to strengthen relations with Singapore, and I look forward to deepening cooperation between our countries in the years ahead.   

Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I invite you now to rise and join me in a toast to:

• The good health and happiness of His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan;
• The peace, happiness and prosperity of the people of Tajikistan; and
• The continued friendship and close ties between Singapore and Tajikistan.