Singapore's work on sustainable energy on show at Astana Expo 2017

Singapore

THE red-and-white flag with the crescent moon and five stars was raised on Tuesday, and a performance was mounted to tell the story of Singapore and its transformation.

This was an early celebration of Singapore's 52nd National Day - except that this wasn't taking place at home, but in Kazakhstan, specifically, the grounds of the Astana Expo 2017.

More than 350 guests and visitors to the expo were in the Singapore pavilion, which bore the theme "Small City, Big Ideas" and showcased Singapore's strides in sustainable energy.

Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon and the Kazakh Vice-Minister of Investments and Development, Yerlan Khairov were present.

Singapore's presence at the Astana Expo is a sign of the strong bilateral and trade ties between the two countries, which recently concluded talks on a bilateral investment treaty to open up business and investment opportunities for Singapore and Kazakh businesses.

Kazakhstan is Singapore's largest trading partner in Central Asia, with bilateral trade in goods between both countries amounting to S$23.5 million last year. Total bilateral trade in services stood at S$40 million in 2015, up from S$18 million in 2014.

Dr Koh said: "Singapore congratulates Kazakhstan on a successful Astana Expo. Singapore's participation at the Expo has provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our expertise and innovations in sustainable energy. The Expo also highlights the openness of Kazakhstan to engage and open its doors to the world. I encourage Singapore companies to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Kazakhstan's growth and venture boldly into the Central Asian market."