PM Lee to hold talks with Albanese at annual leaders' meet in Australia
First-of-its-kind green economy agreement expected to be among key issues on the agenda
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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is making a three-day visit to Australia from Sunday, where he will hold an annual meeting with his counterpart Anthony Albanese.
The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as exchange views on regional and global developments at the 7th Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting.
A first-of-its-kind green economy agreement between the two countries - first mooted at the previous leaders' meeting in 2021 - is expected to be among the key issues on the agenda.
The two prime ministers will have a delegation meeting in Canberra, followed by a joint press conference. Mr Albanese will host PM Lee to dinner at his official residence, said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
PM Lee will also visit Sydney, where he is expected to meet senior business leaders and academics.
He will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, MPs Foo Mee Har and Saktiandi Supaat, and government officials.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be Acting Prime Minister in PM Lee's absence, said PMO.
PM Lee last visited Australia in 2018 for the third leaders' meeting. The meeting has been held every year since it was established under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in 2015.
Singapore and Australia have wide-ranging and substantial cooperation in areas such as defence, economics and people-to-people ties.
Leaders from both sides have had several engagements since the new Labor government came to power in Australia in May.
In September, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen visited Australia to observe the Singapore Armed Forces' Exercise Wallaby and bilateral Exercise Trident.
In July, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong made an official visit to Singapore during which she met PM Lee, Mr Wong and Dr Balakrishnan.
During that trip, Ms Wong gave an interview in which she said both sides were working towards the next milestone in the path-breaking green economy deal, which is expected to remove non-tariff barriers to trade in green goods and services.
The agreement also aims to foster rules and standards that promote cross-border green activities and support the commercialisation of green technologies.
