S’pore and Sweden are small states that share commitment to fair, just world order: President Tharman

SINGAPORE – The commitment to a world order based on fair and just rules, which is shared by Singapore and Sweden as small states, matters more than ever amid deepening divides and global uncertainty.

“Sweden has consistently punched above its weight in meeting the challenges of the global commons,” said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Nov 19.

He was speaking at the state banquet that he and his spouse, Ms Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, hosted in honour of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf at the Jubilee Ballroom of Raffles Hotel.

The King is in town for

a three-day state visit till Nov 21

with a wide-ranging agenda that includes laying the ground for greater defence cooperation, trade promotion and knowledge exchange.

President Tharman said that both Singapore and Sweden are partners in many areas, ranging from defence to education and culture, and have especially strong economic ties.

These ties are borne out by the strong presence of Swedish companies that use the Republic as a regional base, as well as business opportunities that Singapore companies have seized in Sweden, he said.

He cited the example of a joint venture between Singapore’s ComfortDelGro and the UK-headquartered Go-Ahead Group that recently won an 11-year contract

to operate the metro system in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Sweden is advancing international understanding and action on some of humanity’s most pressing issues, which Singapore also pushes for through advancing international agreements.

These issues range from advancing peace and security to building a more sustainable world, he said.

For instance, both countries share a close defence relationship, particularly between their navies.

This collaboration goes back to the 1990s, when Singapore acquired Swedish submarines and mine countermeasures vessels, and both navies continue to interact with each other regularly, he noted.

He also expressed gratitude for the contributions of Swedes to the arts and culture landscape through arts education and participation in cultural events.

Addressing the King before making a toast to the royal and Sweden, President Tharman said: “Your visit to Singapore reaffirms the warm and enduring friendship between our two countries, and sets the stage for broader cooperation in new areas.”

Speaking at the state banquet, King Carl XVI Gustaf touched on how Sweden and Singapore are connected by reciprocal trade flows, as well as shared values such as the commitment to science and research.

Sweden is Singapore’s ninth-largest goods trading partner in the European Union and 11th largest EU investment destination. In 2023, total bilateral goods trade stood at $2.2 billion, while trade in services was about $1 billion, according to the latest figures from 2022.

“Both Singapore and Sweden strongly believe in using technology to drive the green transition. In this area, we see great potential for an even stronger partnership.”

Beyond the partnerships established and deepened between both governments, his state visit paves the way for further partnerships between industries, agencies and academic institutions, the King said.

Earlier in the day, Sweden’s head of state – who plays a mostly ceremonial and representative role – kicked off the state visit by calling on President Tharman at Parliament House in the morning.

They discussed the strengthened bilateral cooperation in wide-ranging fields, including in research and development, transport, sustainability and defence, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The monarch also inspected a guard of honour contingent at Parliament House, where some official events have been relocated to from the Istana due to renovations.

The King then visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where he was presented an orchid hybrid named in his honour.

He was later hosted to lunch by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. During the meal, they exchanged views on international developments and how their countries have approached similar challenges, SM Lee said in a Facebook post.

The King then visited Marina Bay Sands and Marina Barrage to understand Singapore’s national development and sustainability efforts.

At the state banquet, the SAF Central Band played a medley of songs from Swedish pop icons Abba, with strains from Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Fernando flowing one into the other.

This is King Carl XVI Gustaf’s first state visit to Singapore, though he has visited the Republic twice in other capacities previously.

His consort, Queen Silvia, had initially been expected to accompany him on the state visit, but had taken ill with a severe cold.

The King will attend the Singapore-Sweden Royal Business Forum 2024 at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore on Nov 20.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will call on the King on Nov 21, and they will witness the exchange of signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs).

Five agreements spanning areas including aviation, defence technology, energy, transport and healthcare innovation will be signed between both governments by the end of the King’s visit.

Among them is one that will see both countries expand on an existing MOU on defence technology cooperation, to include collaboration in defence innovation.

“This will facilitate new collaboration with the start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and universities from both countries, aimed at harnessing dual-use critical and emerging technologies,” President Tharman said in his speech.

Dual-use technologies are those with both civilian and military applications.

An agreement was inked on Nov 19 between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Swedish air navigation services provider Luftfartsverket.

This will see both parties collaborate in growing their air traffic management capabilities, digitalisation and automation in aviation, performance management in air traffic management, providing safe air navigation services, and green aviation.