Saudi Arabia’s transformation offers opportunities for Singaporeans, businesses: PM Lee

SAUDI Arabia’s rapid transformation offers opportunities for Singaporeans and Singapore businesses on various fronts, including logistics, transportation, green energy and food, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday (Oct 20).

He noted that the country is opening up under the direction of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and more projects are in the pipeline. The Saudis are interested in logistics and transportation cooperation with Singapore, he said.

Singapore also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Saudi government in green energy this week.

“The Saudis produce oil and gas but they’ve also got massive solar power which they are hoping to convert into hydrogen and that’s exportable, and so we have an MOU to work with them on that,” PM Lee said in an interview with Singapore media.

He was asked about his views on the country as well as the potential for ramping up bilateral cooperation, as he wrapped up the first leg of his visit to the Middle East.

On Wednesday, PM Lee called on and was hosted to lunch by Crown Prince Mohammed, and both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties in areas such as trade and investment and the digital economy, among others. He was also briefed on the country’s plans and met several of its business leaders, and on Thursday, he also visited the historic cities of Madinah, which is newly-opened to non-Muslims, and Al Ula, which is being developed for high-end tourism.

PM Lee noted that much has changed since his last visit to the country in 2006. He told reporters that the Singapore Business Federation brought a delegation to Riyadh on the sidelines of his visit, and that they have been making contacts. “So I hope that we will be able to develop the volume of trade which is already quite good, and of investments, which is still quite modest, because people have not got the feel of how to operate within the Saudi environment until now,” said PM Lee.

During the trip, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) and the Saudi Food & Drug Authority also signed an MOU on halal certification that will smooth the path for Singapore companies exporting halal products to Saudi Arabia.

The MOU is the first between Muis and a national halal authority to mutually recognise halal certificates. Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, who was part of the Singapore delegation, said in a Facebook post that this reflects “confidence in the quality and administration of Singapore’s halal certification system”.

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PM Lee noted there is also interest between the two governments in digitalisation. He shared how, during his conversations with overseas Singaporeans in Riyadh on Thursday, he learnt that some of them were doing a project with the Saudis as Singapore has some expertise with OneMap.

OneMap is the authoritative national map of Singapore, with the most detailed and timely updated information, developed by the Singapore Land Authority.

PM Lee was also asked about the haj quota for Singapore pilgrims, which was raised during his visit.

He said Singapore has asked Saudi Arabia for some flexibility for a few years, to help clear at least part of the very long queue of Singaporeans hoping to perform the haj, before going back to a longer-term allocation.

“They’ve heard us and I’m hopeful that they will work something out,” PM Lee said.

On Friday, he left for Dubai for the next leg of his visit to the Middle East. THE STRAITS TIMES