Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong was conferred the Order of Dostyk of the First Class by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday (Aug 26) for his significant contributions to the development of comprehensive cooperation between the two states.
The Order, one of Kazakhstan's highest state awards, is awarded to individuals for the promotion of peace, friendship and cooperation between peoples.
SM Lee is on an official visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Aug 24 to Aug 31, his first visit to Central Asia.
President Tokayev pointed out in a statement by his office that the dynamic development of bilateral relations has been underpinned by regular political dialogue, growing trade and increasing Singaporean investment into Kazakhstan.
"Kazakhstan and Singapore remain largest trading partners for each other in their respective regions of Central and Southeast Asia. The number of companies with Singaporean capital is growing, reaching almost 500," President Tokayev noted in his remarks at a bilateral meeting with SM Lee and the Singapore delegation.
Diplomatic relations established in 1993
In his acceptance speech, SM Lee said he is accepting the award on behalf of the many Singaporeans and Kazakhs who have worked to bring the two countries closer together over the past three decades.
He noted that the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1993, and that then-Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew had visited the country three months before it gained independence in December 1991.
There, Lee addressed the Kazakhstan Supreme Soviet, sharing Singapore’s developmental experience and his perspectives on making the transition to a market economy.
"That was a significant exchange between two very different and distant countries, and it began a relationship which has endured and grown," SM Lee said.
This was a point echoed by President Tokayev in his meeting with SM Lee, as he emphasised the deep symbolic and historic meaning of the senior minister's visit.
"His (Lee Kuan Yew) historic visit laid a solid foundation for our bilateral relations. We highly value Singapore’s visionary leadership and its remarkable transformation into a global hub for finance, trade, innovation, and technology.
"Your nation’s experience serves as an inspiring blueprint for the entire international community," he said.
Cooperation between Southeast Asia and Central Asia
SM Lee noted in his speech that Kazakhstan is Singapore's largest economic partner in Central Asia.
Last year, the Kazakhstan-Singapore Services and Investment Agreement entered into force.
It allows Singapore businesses utilising the agreement to benefit from additional market access to 15 service sectors in Kazakhstan and enjoy more liberal investment rules, ensuring more facilitative conditions.
But bilateral cooperation between the two countries have expanded beyond commerce, into human resource development and capacity building, and now — water management, digital development, as well as scientific and research exchanges, SM Lee said.
"Singapore and Kazakhstan could hardly be more different geographically, and yet both our countries seek to integrate within our regions, build friendships beyond, and stay connected to the world."
He added that Singapore and Kazakhstan can be a gateway and important bridge for each other into their respective region.
"As ASEAN Chair next year, Singapore looks forward to creating more opportunities for ASEAN to engage partners beyond our traditional networks.
"We will explore how Southeast Asia and Central Asia can work more closely together," SM Lee said, adding that some possible areas include transport, connectivity, energy and sustainable development.
Agreements on water resources, digital trade integration
During his visit to Kazakhstan, SM Lee also witnessed the signing of two agreements in water resources and digital trade integration.
The first agreement will facilitate the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Kazakhstan's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in capacity building and joint initiatives in areas including water sustainability, water reclamation, and digitalisation.
Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding on digital trade integration between SCE and and Middle Corridor Multimodal will advance technical cooperation and joint initiatives in digital trade and logistics to strengthen connectivity and supply chain resilience along the Middle Corridor.
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kazakhstan Agency of International Development also agreed to conduct a second joint training programme on artificial intelligence, digital development, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics within the next two years.
Up to 30 mid-to-senior government officials from Central Asian countries are expected to benefit from it.
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