DOHA – Singapore and Qatar companies might soon find it easier to do business in each other’s countries, in areas ranging from sustainable technologies to food to cyber security.

Both countries inked five new memorandums of understanding (MOUs) at the Emiri Diwan – the sovereign body and administrative office of Qatar’s Emir – in the capital city of Doha on Wednesday.

The agreements were signed during President Halimah Yacob’s state visit to the Gulf nation, her last overseas trip during her term.

Singapore will send three delegations of around 30 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to Qatar in September.

The companies from the fintech, healthcare, energy and logistics sectors will explore collaboration and potential market opportunities in the country, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling told the media on the sidelines of the visit.

Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the state-owned QatarEnergy signed an MOU on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-carbon technology cooperation to enhance bilateral collaboration on energy and decarbonisation.

Both countries will work together to strengthen long-term LNG supply chains and promote technical cooperation, and exchange knowledge on carbon capture and storage. About 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is generated from natural gas, while Qatar is the world’s top LNG exporter.

Officials from MTI met their Qatari counterparts on Tuesday and discussed the Gulf state’s National Vision 2030 – a plan that aims to transform the country in areas such as social development and environmental management.

Ms Low said: “We discovered that there are many exciting opportunities in the areas of technology and innovation, energy and logistics, as well as infrastructure, for SMEs. As a result of that, Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) will bring about three business mission trips involving many SMEs in these areas… as a follow-up to the state visit.”

The other MOUs include an agreement inked between the Singapore Food Agency and Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality on food security and safety, which aims to strengthen knowledge exchange in those areas.

Both sides will share their experience and expertise in developing strategies, policies and best practices, and exchange knowledge on modern technologies and innovative solutions.

EnterpriseSG and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council signed an agreement to encourage innovation exchanges between companies through joint promotion of activities such as open innovation challenges and business matching initiatives.

Both sides will also share knowledge and expertise through workshops and seminars.

These initiatives aim to help Singapore companies with product innovation and secure commercialisation opportunities in partnership with Qatar companies.

Key areas of potential collaboration include sustainability, food and medical technology, and smart cities.

Mr Tan Soon Kim, EnterpriseSG’s deputy chief executive of global markets, said Qatar has been actively diversifying its economy by investing heavily in infrastructure and digital transformation.

“Innovation will be a key focus as the government looks to grow other sectors such as tourism, trade, logistics and healthcare, and move towards a knowledge-based economy,” he said.

The Singapore and Qatar governments also signed an MOU on training programmes to promote greater cooperation and understanding between Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and enhance cooperation in public sector human resources development and other development needs of these countries.

Qatar is Singapore’s partner in Doha’s Regional Training Centre for Public Administration, which was established in November 2006 under the auspices of the Asia-Middle East Dialogue (Amed).

The dialogue fosters mutual understanding and cooperation between Asia and the Middle East in various areas.

The MOU aims to implement training programmes of Amed countries in the centre.

Singapore and Qatar will organise capacity-building programmes annually on topics such as public administration, trade promotion, urban planning and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s and Qatar’s cyber-security agencies agreed to enhance cyber-security cooperation in areas such as information sharing between computer emergency response teams.

There will also be exchanges to better secure industrial control systems and operating technology widely used in critical information infrastructure systems, and collaboration on mutual areas of national interest.

More than 30 Singapore companies have expanded into Qatar, according to EnterpriseSG.

They include digital solutions provider CrimsonLogic, which secured a three-year agreement with the Qatar Investment and Trade Court in 2023 to develop a system for trade and financial companies to settle disputes.

These parties previously needed to make multiple trips down to the court to settle these cases, but can now do so online around the clock.

Mr Kuan Mun Hong, CrimsonLogic’s senior regional director for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said: “The (cyber-security) MOU is positive for Singapore companies like us operating in Qatar.

“We need continuous engagement with stakeholders, sharing know-how on the importance of cyber security, because the field evolves constantly.”