Singapore, UAE ink agreements on energy, public health and water cooperation

Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday (Oct 21) signed three memorandums of understanding that will enhance cooperation in disease vector control, energy and water.

The signing of the agreements was witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an ongoing three-day official visit by the city state's leader that began on Tuesday.

The two leaders also announced in a joint statement that their countries will begin negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

"The CEPA will deepen economic integration, facilitate trade and investment flows, and create opportunities for businesses in both countries," said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement on Wednesday.

Under the energy cooperate agreement, Singapore and the UAE will set up a joint energy taskforce under the ambit of the Abu-Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum.

Both countries will explore opportunities and deepen cooperation across the energy value chain, including trading, infrastructure, and downstream activities.

They also welcomed ongoing cooperation in nuclear energy that involves the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company.

The city state had announced in May this year that it will be evaluating its ability to potentially deploy nuclear energy through an assessment by the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) in 2027.

According to IAEA, its experience suggests that the timeline from the initial consideration of the nuclear power option by a country to the operation of its first nuclear power facility is about 10 to 15 years.

PM Wong had also stressed in the May announcement that the purpose of the assessment is to evaluate whether Singapore is ready to make an informed decision on nuclear energy deployment.

The decision to deploy nuclear power will heavily depend on safety, which will always be the "overriding priority", he said, emphasising that there is "no margin for error".

Meanwhile, the two countries, noting the strategic importance of sustainable water management, agreed to continue cooperation in desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment and reuse, and innovative water technologies.

In their joint statement, Singapore and the UAE also expressed interest in exploring further opportunities for knowledge exchange, technology collaboration, and partnerships that can support the development and deployment of sustainable and scalable water solutions.

Disease vector control cooperation

The agreement on vector control and public health was signed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.

They will exchange knowledge, technical expertise and operational insights on the implementation of Wolbachia-based Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) to suppress Aedes aegypti mosquito populations in Abu Dhabi.

NEA said the collaboration draws on its experience from its Project Wolbachia, including the mass production of Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, quality assurance and quality control systems, operational release strategies, and programme evaluation.

Identifying new areas of cooperation

Beyond the present, the two countries also announced that they will convene the fourth Singapore-UAE Joint Committee to review progress under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

This includes identifying new areas of cooperation including in trade and investment, energy and sustainability, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, space, security and nuclear technology.

MFA said that against the backdrop of an increasingly uncertain global environment, both leaders underscored the importance of trusted partnerships and strengthening economic and security resilience.

It added that Singapore also reaffirmed its solidarity with the UAE, with the two countries reaffirming their shared interest in upholding international law and a rules-based international order, including navigational rights and freedoms — significantly impaired since the US and Israel struck Iran in February.

In a social media post on Wednesday evening (Singapore time), PM Wong pointed out that the two countries share many common interests and perspectives.

"In an increasingly troubled world, our partnership matters more than ever. By working together and combining our complementary strengths, we can achieve far more than either of us could on our own," he said.

PM Wong also invited President Sheikh Mohamed to make a state visit to Singapore.

Earlier on Tuesday, PM Wong met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Zayed National Museum.

They welcomed the strong economic and commercial ties between their two countries, and discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation in shared priorities.

PM Wong also met with government and business leaders in the artificial intelligence, energy, advanced technologies and defence sectors.

He also laid a wreath at the Wahat Al Karama and visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

The prime minister is also scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and attend a reception for overseas Singaporeans.

PM Wong will return to Singapore on Oct 22 and will receive a courtesy call by Brunei Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Mateen during his three-day visit to Singapore that started on Wednesday.

新加坡和阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋）于周三（10 月 21 日）签署了三份谅解备忘录，旨在加强在疾病媒介控制、能源和水资源方面的合作。

新加坡总理黄循财和阿联酋总统谢赫·穆罕默德·本·扎耶德·阿勒纳哈扬见证了这些协议的签署。阿联酋总统于周二开始对新加坡进行为期三天的正式访问。

两国领导人还在一份联合声明中宣布，两国将开始就全面经济伙伴关系协定（CEPA）进行谈判。

新加坡外交部周三在一份声明中表示：“《全面经济伙伴关系协定》（CEPA）将深化经济一体化，促进贸易和投资流动，并为两国企业创造机会。”

根据能源合作协议，新加坡和阿联酋将在阿布扎比-新加坡联合论坛的框架下成立联合能源工作组。

两国将探索机遇，深化在能源价值链各环节的合作，包括贸易、基础设施和下游活动。

他们还对阿联酋核能公司参与的核能领域持续合作表示欢迎。

今年 5 月，该城邦宣布将通过国际原子能机构 (IAEA) 在 2027 年进行的评估，来评估其部署核能的潜在能力。

根据国际原子能机构的经验，一个国家从最初考虑核电方案到运营其第一座核电站，大约需要 10 到 15 年的时间。

黄循财总理在五月份的声明中也强调，此次评估的目的是评估新加坡是否已做好准备，就核能部署做出明智的决定。

他表示，部署核电的决定将很大程度上取决于安全，安全始终是“首要任务”，并强调“没有犯错的余地”。

与此同时，两国注意到可持续水资源管理的战略重要性，同意继续在海水淡化、节水、废水处理和再利用以及创新水技术方面开展合作。

新加坡和阿联酋在联合声明中还表示有兴趣进一步探索知识交流、技术合作和伙伴关系的机会，以支持可持续和可扩展的水解决方案的开发和部署。

疾病媒介控制合作

国家环境局 (NEA) 和阿布扎比公共卫生中心签署了病媒控制和公共卫生协议。

他们将交流关于在阿布扎比实施基于沃尔巴克氏体的不相容昆虫技术 (IIT) 以抑制埃及伊蚊种群的知识、技术专长和操作见解。

国家环境局表示，此次合作借鉴了其沃尔巴克氏体项目的经验，包括大规模生产携带沃尔巴克氏体的埃及伊蚊、质量保证和质量控制系统、操作释放策略以及项目评估。

确定新的合作领域

除了目前的合作之外，两国还宣布将召开第四届新加坡-阿联酋联合委员会会议，审查两国全面战略伙伴关系取得的进展。

这包括确定新的合作领域，例如贸易和投资、能源和可持续发展、人工智能、先进技术、数字基础设施、网络安全、太空、安全和核技术。

外交部表示，在全球环境日益不确定的背景下，两国领导人强调了建立互信伙伴关系和加强经济安全韧性的重要性。

声明还补充说，新加坡重申了与阿联酋的团结，两国重申了维护国际法和基于规则的国际秩序的共同利益，包括航行权利和自由——自美国和以色列2月份袭击伊朗以来，这些权利和自由受到了严重损害。

黄之锋总理周三晚间（新加坡时间）在社交媒体上发文指出，两国有很多共同的利益和观点。

“在这个日益动荡的世界里，我们的伙伴关系比以往任何时候都更加重要。通过携手合作，发挥我们各自的优势，我们能够取得比任何一方单打独斗更大的成就，”他说道。

黄之锋总理还邀请穆罕默德总统对新加坡进行国事访问。

周二早些时候，黄之锋总理在扎耶德国家博物馆会见了阿布扎比王储兼阿布扎比行政委员会主席谢赫·哈立德·本·穆罕默德·本·扎耶德·阿勒纳哈扬。

他们对两国之间牢固的经济和商业联系表示欢迎，并探讨了在共同优先事项上深化合作的机会。

黄总理还会见了人工智能、能源、先进技术和国防领域的政府和企业领导人。

他还向瓦哈特·卡拉马敬献了花圈，并参观了谢赫·扎耶德大清真寺。

总理还计划会见副总理兼财政部长、迪拜副酋长谢赫·马克图姆·本·穆罕默德·本·拉希德·阿勒马克图姆，并出席为海外新加坡人举办的招待会。

黄之锋总理将于10月22日返回新加坡，并在周三开始的为期三天的新加坡之行中，接见文莱外交部长阿卜杜勒·马丁亲王。