On 2 June 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Singapore’s Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for the 8th Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting (ALM).
Welcomed PM @AlboMP to SG for the 8th Annual Leaders’ Meeting on behalf of PM @leehsienloong.
We reaffirmed our commitment to further expand bilateral cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Looking forward to strengthening our bilateral relations! pic.twitter.com/udF4KMB0Wq— Lawrence Wong (@LawrenceWongST) June 2, 2023
Leaders discussed Australia and Singapore’s strong bilateral ties, reaffirming the longstanding and close partnership, anchored on mutual trust, respect, and shared strategic perspectives. Leaders welcomed opportunities for Australia and Singapore to strengthen mutual food and energy security, defence cooperation and trade and investment ties.
Leaders also noted the implementation and progress of the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement, signed in October 2022. The agreement paves the way for Australia and Singapore to take ambitious climate action while seizing the economic opportunities of the net zero transition. Leaders’ announced three GEA initiatives:
- A joint A$20 million Go-Green Co-Innovation Program,
- The establishment of a Green and Digital Shipping Corridor by the end of 2025, and
- The S$5 million Convergence Asia Climate Solutions Design Grant.
Singapore and Australia are working together towards a secure and prosperous future, powered by renewable energy.
Our rich natural resources, advanced industry and technology make us the ideal partner in this vision. pic.twitter.com/SzhOTUFl1A— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 2, 2023
Following agreement at the last Annual Leaders’ Meeting to begin work on a bilateral Food Pact, the Leaders welcomed the finalisation of the guiding principles and workplan for the Food Pact. This pact will support food security, increase bilateral trade and stimulate Singaporean investment into Australia by harmonising regulations, coordinating trade pathways and encouraging research and industry development.
While in Singapore, the Prime Minister was honoured to deliver the keynote address to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, the premier regional security forum, outlining Australia’s vision for the Indo-Pacific region. For two decades, this highly-respected forum has connected experts in both defence and diplomacy, bringing together leaders and analysts from across the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN and founding dialogue partners such as Australia.
In my Shangri-La Dialogue keynote address I spoke about how Australia is doing our part to fulfil the shared responsibility all of us have to preserve peace and security.#Shangriladialogue @IISS_org pic.twitter.com/35euLuGfeK
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 2, 2023