24 Mar 2013
PRESS STATEMENT OF THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE IN ABU DHABI
NEW PLATFORM LAUNCHED FOR DEVELOPMENT LESSONS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND UAE
The Majlis Singapura Distinguished Speaker Series was inaugurated at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal on Sunday, 24 March 2013. It was launched in the presence of chief guest H.E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qassimi, the Minister of Development and International Cooperation of the UAE. Also in attendance were Assistant Foreign Minister for Security and Military Affairs, H.E. Major General Faris Al Mazrouei, and Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs, H.E. Khaled Al Ghaith, and Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore, H.E. Umej Bhatia.
The speaker for the evening was best-selling author, geopolitical writer and academic Dr Parag Khanna, Adjunct Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew of Public Policy. Dr Khanna holds a PhD from the London School of Economics, and Bachelors and Masters degrees from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He has been a Distinguished Visitor at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, Senior Research Fellow at the New America Foundation, and a Non-Resident Associate of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. He is the author of the international bestsellers How to Run the World: Chartering a Course to the Next Renaissance (2011) and The Second World: Empires and Influence in the New Global Order (2008). Resident in Singapore, Dr Khanna grew up in the United Arab Emirates, New York, and Germany. H.E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qassimi is a member of the Governing Board of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
The event was well received by Emiratis, Singaporeans and partners in progress in the development of both countries. The discussions were substantive, with a frank sharing of experiences and exchange in lessons of economic development, public policy and good governance.
The Majlis Singapura is a blending of “know-how” and “know-who” in a personalised and informal setting. Future Majlis Singapura are planned to facilitate frank and open sharing of lessons learned in development.
. . . . .
28 March 2013
