Singapore, UAE open talks on economic pact and energy task force
What's new: The two sides also renewed water cooperation and said they hope to advance ASEAN-GCC trade talks when Singapore chairs ASEAN in 2027.
Singapore and the United Arab Emirates will start negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aimed at boosting trade, investment and wider economic integration. The move was set out during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's visit to Abu Dhabi, where he met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two countries also agreed to form a joint energy task force covering opportunities from trading and infrastructure to downstream activities, and they highlighted ongoing nuclear energy cooperation involving Emirates Nuclear Energy Company. In a separate step, Singapore's PUB and Abu Dhabi's Department of Energy renewed and expanded a water cooperation pact to include sustainability, climate resilience, research and pilot projects.