Transcript Of Speech By President Tharman Shanmugaratnam At The Official Banquet Hosted By President Alar Karis On Tuesday, 25 June 2024 At The Rose Garden Of The Kadriorg Palace

His Excellency Alar Karis, President of Estonia

Her Excellency Mrs Sirje Karis,

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1. It is a real pleasure for my wife and I, together with my delegation, to be here in Estonia, on such a wonderful day, with such an impressive group of people, Estonian and Singaporean.

2. Estonia is a country with a deep history, beauty and a resilience in the face of history’s often fateful twists and turns.

3. Our heartfelt thanks to President Karis and Mrs Karis for their kind invitation that brought us here, and for the warmth and hospitality which has already been so apparent on this first day of my Official Visit. Thank you also for your thoughtful gesture in inviting a group of Singaporeans here in Estonia to join us for this dinner, in the Rose Garden of the Kadriorg Palace.

4. Singapore and Estonia are relatively new friends. Given the Cold War and the division of Europe, we only established relations in 1993, shortly after Estonia re-declared its independence in 1991.

5. We are also geographically distant. But we share many similarities. As President Karis put it, we think alike. We are both small and open nations, who embrace education and innovation as the ways to give our citizens the best opportunities in life. We are both passionate supporters of multilateralism and cooperative efforts to preserve and strengthen the global public good, rather than a world driven by immediate national interests. And we are both uncompromising in our advocacy for a rules-based international order that governs trade and investment and the political independence and territorial integrity of all countries, big and small.

6. As I reflect on my visit to the Monument to the War of Independence this afternoon, I cannot help but be deeply moved by the indomitable spirit of the Estonian people. Your struggle for independence and your journey since is not just a major chapter in your history. It is an inspiring story of how a nation has thrived by respecting its traditions and its people’s sacrifices, by upholding its own democratic values, and by innovating its way into the future.

7. We in Singapore have watched Estonia’s rapid development with admiration. In less than 35 years, you have achieved so much.

   1. Estonia is among the most advanced countries in the world when it comes to embracing technology to improve productivity and serve people’s needs conveniently. 99 per cent of your people have digital identities, for example. You are among the top countries in the OECD Digital Government Index and the UN’s e-Government survey.

   2. Your public education system is effective and well regarded, like Singapore’s. As proof, your students have among the highest PISA scores in Europe.

   3. But Estonia is, I believe, even more impressive with regard to its start-up culture and achievements. Many people around the world use Wise or Skype, although not everyone knows that they were made from this little nation. It is instructive too that Skype was founded by a Swede and a Dane, who found a springboard in Estonia and worked with Estonian minds to build an outstanding unicorn. I say it's instructive because that, too, is how you think. It's that openness of mind to people from elsewhere, so they can use Estonia as a springboard and grow something special with your own people.

8. I said before that we are relatively new friends. But we are quickly making up for lost time. Our high-level engagements are becoming much more frequent. In 2021, we were honoured to welcome then-President Kersti Kaljulaid to Singapore to attend the Asia Tech x Singapore Summit. Last year, we welcomed Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to attend both the Shangri-La Dialogue 2023 and the Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) Summit. The Estonian Embassy in Singapore was in fact inaugurated during Prime Minister Kallas’ visit. Today, I am so happy to reciprocate by visiting Tallinn.

9. President Karis and I had a fruitful discussion earlier today, and I followed that up with a discussion with Prime Minister Kallas. There is much potential for us to collaborate. For example, in nurturing our tech start-ups, in promoting the green transition, and in encouraging our companies to explore opportunities in each other’s markets and use each other as gateways to our respective regions. ASEAN, for its part, is currently the 5th largest economy in the world.

10. As I mentioned too, both of us put great store by developing the abilities of our people. Our education systems seek to make creative use of technology to complement and aid human-centred pedagogical methods. This is another area in which we can explore collaboration.

11. We also want to do more together in the arts and culture. The Estonian Academy of Arts has a Memorandum of Understanding with the LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, which covers student exchanges and research collaboration. Our performing arts groups have also been performing in each other’s countries. In 2023, choreographer Teet Kask’s ballet “Golden Temple” represented Estonia and Europe at the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival in Singapore. And just two months ago, T.H.E Dance Company from Singapore performed in the Viimsi Atrium cultural centre in Lubja.

12. Our economic links are, of course, growing. Some Singapore companies are in Estonia. Some of them are here with us today. I will be visiting Tolaram Group’s Horizon Pulp and Paper tomorrow to see and understand how the company blends performance with sustainability. Estonia’s Ambassador in Singapore, Priit Turk, is working hard to encourage Estonian companies to explore opportunities in Singapore and in the ASEAN region.

13. I would also like to thank Estonia for its support for the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Singapore Digital Partnership, as well as for Estonia’s early ratification of the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement (EUSIPA). Each of these agreements is a boost for business and investor confidence and can help grow trade and investment between us.

14. On behalf of my entire delegation, allow me to conclude by once again extending our deepest appreciation and admiration for President Karis and Mrs Karis. Thank you also to all our Estonian friends for making our stay productive and I am sure memorable. I look forward to welcoming President Karis and Mrs Karis to Singapore in the future.

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

15. May I now invite you to join me in a toast:

    1.   To the good health and success of President Alar Karis and Mrs Karis;

    2. To the continued peace and prosperity of Estonia; and

    3. To the enduring friendship and cooperation between Singapore and Estonia

    4. And to the Singaporeans who are here, may your spirit of adventure break new ground and inspire other fellow-Singaporeans.

Cheers!