DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam meeting the President of Guyana, David Granger, on the sidelines of CHOGM. They discussed how to strengthen cooperation between Singapore and the Caribbean countries. [Photo credit: MFA]Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited Malta from 27 to 29 November 2015 for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Prior to DPM Tharman’s visit, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman also visited Malta from 25 to 26 November 2015 for the Pre-CHOGM Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFMM).
At the CFMM, delegations from the Commonwealth countries discussed a wide range of global and regional issues of concern including climate change, countering violent extremism, and the 2030 Development Agenda for Sustainable Development. SMS shared Singapore’s experience in countering radicalism and terrorist ideology, and the challenges faced by Singapore as a small state. On the side-lines of the CFMM, SMS Maliki also met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Affairs of Dominica Francine Baron, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Namibia Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitawah, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda Henry Oryem Okello. They discussed ways to improve bilateral relations and cooperation in international fora.
At the CHOGM, leaders of the Commonwealth states issued a statement on climate action in support of the forthcoming Twenty-First Conference of the Parties (COP-21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place in Paris, France from 30 November 2015 to 5 December 2015. DPM Tharman noted that the COP-21 had the potential to deliver the first binding agreement with universal participation from all Parties to the UNFCCC, and that the necessary support and means of implementation must be forthcoming to help developing countries achieve the goals of the Convention. The leaders also discussed strategies to counter terrorism, and to achieve sustained economic development. DPM Tharman also attended a side meeting of ten countries co-chaired by British Prime Minister David Cameron and Botswana President Ian Khama on the international response to corruption; the meeting discussed ways in which countries could strengthen anti-corruption efforts.
On the side-lines of the CHOGM, DPM Tharman met the President of Guyana David Granger, the Prime Minister of Rwanda Anastase Murekezi, the Prime Minister of Barbados Freundel Stuart, the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley. At these meetings, the leaders discussed their desire to promote stronger bilateral relations and economic ties between their respective countries. DPM Tharman also offered to share Singapore’s experience and cooperate through training of officials in various fields.
SMS Maliki was accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; DPM Tharman was accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
30 NOVEMBER 2015