Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met today with the Prime Minister of Singapore, His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong, for the 9th Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting.
Australia and Singapore share a partnership that is remarkable in its breadth and depth, grounded in trust and respect.
The Prime Ministers discussed current regional and global security issues and reaffirmed their commitment to work together to promote peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region. They underlined the importance of an open, inclusive, rules-based and resilient Indo-Pacific region, which promotes free trade and open markets and where differences are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law.
In the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025, Leaders discussed initiatives to shape the next phase of the Australia-Singapore relationship.
Under our landmark Green Economy Agreement, Leaders announced agreed principles for cross-border electricity trade. These principles will provide clarity and predictability to businesses and create jobs in the clean energy sector.
Leaders also announced the next step towards a green and digital shipping corridor between Australia and Singapore, an agreement between our respective port authorities. This will ensure our maritime industries are fit for the future and provide an avenue for the export of Australia’s renewable energy.
To support this initiative, Leaders welcomed progress in implementation of the Australia-Singapore Initiative on Low-Emissions Technologies for maritime and port operations.
The two Prime Ministers announced the first group of Australian and Singaporean small and medium-sized businesses to receive grants under the $20 million Go-Green Co-Innovation Program, which will facilitate co-innovation between our two countries and support the development of sustainable products and services.
Additional grant funding was announced to encourage collaborative research between Australian and Singaporean scientists on sustainability, innovation and food technology.
Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Lee also announced a new agreement between border agencies to increase cooperation on border security and help to combat cross-border crime.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
“Today, Prime Minister Lee and I charted the course for the next ten years of the Australia Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“Australia is fortunate to have a strong partner in Singapore, and an ambitious agenda for the future of our relationship.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Lee on his two decades of service to Singapore and to the region, and I thank him for his unwavering support of our bilateral relationship.”
