Toast Speech by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the State Lunch hosted in honour of the President Of Niger, His Excellency Issoufou Mahamadou

Your Excellency President Issoufou Mahamadou

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        Let me extend to Your Excellency, President Issoufou Mahamadou, and members of your distinguished delegation, a very warm welcome to Singapore. 

        I understand that this is the first State Visit by Your Excellency to Asia since your inauguration as President of Niger in April 2011.  Singapore is most honoured to be chosen as the first country in this region to host Your Excellency’s state visit.  We hope that Your Excellency will have an enjoyable and fruitful stay over the next few days.

        Niger is a country with much potential. Under the Renaissance Programme implemented by Your Excellency’s administration since 2011, Niger’s economy has soared to new heights. Your country’s growth rate of 11.3 percent in 2012 ranked as one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, which grew as a whole at 4.7 percent in the same year. In the area of human capital development, Niger has also been making progress. There is much that remains to be done, but I am reminded of a Chinese saying: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. I am confident that Niger will take the necessary steps to ensure that it continues to develop and prosper in the years to come.

        The impressive growth and development in Niger mirrors that of many Sub-Saharan African countries today. Not surprisingly, many Singapore companies are keen to explore business opportunities throughout the continent.  Since 2010, 14 business missions from Singapore have visited over 20 Sub-Saharan African countries. International Enterprise Singapore, the government agency that promotes international trade for Singapore, opened two new Overseas Centres in Johannesburg and Accra last year to service Singapore companies that are interested to invest or do business in Africa. The two Overseas Centres will also assist African companies looking to expand their businesses into East Asia. 

        The Niger-Singapore Business Forum, organised by the Singapore Business Federation this Thursday, at which Your Excellency will be delivering the keynote address, will spark further investor interest and signal Niger’s commitment to foreign investors.

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        Your Excellency’s State Visit is significant as it represents a new milestone in our bilateral relations and will no doubt catalyse the efforts of our two governments to strengthen existing cooperation. It also signals Niger’s desire to develop a closer friendship with Singapore, which we very much appreciate and welcome. Singapore looks forward to working with Niger to build a strong and enduring friendship.

        On that note, may I now invite you to join me in a toast:

To the continued good health and happiness of His Excellency President Issoufou Mahamadou and the prosperity of the Nigerien people; as well as to the growing friendship between Niger and Singapore.