16 Sep 2009
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE PRESS STATEMENT
SINGAPORE ENVOY PRESENTS PARALLELS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND QATAR IN LECTURE AT GEORGETOWN SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE ON
16 SEPTEMBER 2009
As small but successful states, both Qatar and Singapore share many similarities.
The resemblances were strong according to Charge d'affaires of the Republic of Singapore Umej Bhatia in a lecture entitled "Sustainable Small State Development: Similarities Between Singapore and Qatar" to students of the International Comparative Politics class in the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service at Education City . Mr Bhatia had been invited to brief the students by Georgetown's Visiting Assistant Professor for Comparative and Middle Eastern Politics, Dr Mark Farha.
In his lecture on the morning of 16 September 2009, Mr Bhatia explained Singapore's successful economic development. He recounted how Singapore had overcame its small size and limited resources to become a prosperous and vibrant economy, consistently ranked as one of the most competitive in the world. However, he pointed out that Singapore's success could not permit the country to slow down. "It is just like riding a bicycle, as soon as you stop, you fall off," he said. Similarly, he noted that Qatar had to keep "pedalling hard" to achieve its development goals. It was a hard "balancing act" for both countries to keep their traditions while moving forward. In this regard, Bhatia said that both Qatar and Singapore had much to gain by exchanging their development lessons for mutual benefit.
Alluding to their shared economic success, Bhatia noted that both Singapore and Qatar had proved the point that size was not destiny. In addition, neither had allowed itself to become victims of geography. In both countries, visionary leadership by the government and a belief in the value of human capital and investment in education were cornerstones of success.
Bhatia told the students that they should not just read or hear about the Singapore success story, but invited them to experience it for themselves. He pointed out that Singapore offered an excellent living environment, with different surveys placing it as the best place to live and do business in Asia. Distilling the best of East and West, and situated between the India and China, Singapore was the ideal place for students and young professionals to experience a dynamic and rising Asia.
Mr Bhatia said that some observers saw Singapore as a microcosm of Asia's future success. However, he explained that Singapore's economic development was built on the foundation of a well-educated multi-racial and multi-religious society, based on the principle of meritocracy. He also said that Singapore's economic success depended on its good governance, political stability and pragmatic policy-making. There was no sure-fire recipe for economic success.
The lecture was well-received by the students with an interesting question and answer session. The similarities between Singapore and Qatar, as small but successful states, were noted and discussed.
This is the fourth lecture by Mr Bhatia at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service in Qatar, part of a regular series of briefings. He has previously also been invited by Emeritus Professor Ibrahim Oweiss to brief Georgetown students on Singapore's efforts to position itself as Asia's pre-eminent financial hub. Mr Bhatia is a graduate of Cambridge University and holds an advanced degree from Harvard University.
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
DOHA, STATE OF QATAR
16 SEPTEMBER 2009