PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Official Lunch Hosted in Honour of Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed

Your Excellency Mohamed Nasheed,
President of the Republic of Maldives

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome President Nasheed and members of your delegation on your first Official Visit to Singapore.

President Nasheed and I last met at the sidelines of the Copenhagen Climate Change Talks in December 2009. He has worked tirelessly to raise awareness on climate change, and to foster international consensus to tackle this global problem. Consequently, in April this year, President Nasheed received the “Champions of the Earth” award, the UN’s highest award for environmental leadership. I congratulate President Nasheed on his achievement.

We are also honoured that President Nasheed has accepted our invitation to be the keynote speaker at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Water Ministers’ Forum. This forum will discuss innovative and effective solutions to enhance regional water security, amidst a changing global environment. I am sure many countries at the Forum, including Singapore, are eager to hear the views and insights from a leader whose country has put water management as a key development priority.

Singapore and the Maldives enjoy strong bilateral ties.  We are both small, tropical, low-lying island-states, highly susceptible to global forces, either natural ones like climate change, or man-made ones like the global financial crisis and the threat of transnational terrorism.  As small countries, we can gain by cooperating on issues of common interest. The Maldives and Singapore often support each other in international fora. I am confident that under President Nasheed’s leadership, our two countries will continue to work together to achieve our common goals.

Singapore values our long-standing relations with the Maldives. We have supported each other in good times and bad. When the deadly Asian Tsunami struck in 2004, Singapore took part in relief and rehabilitation efforts to the Maldives, as well as in reconstruction projects. As part of our post-tsunami contribution, Singapore built the Ghazee School in Hulhumale. I hope this school will stand as a lasting symbol of the friendship between the Maldives and Singapore.

I am also happy to note that Singapore’s direct investment to the Maldives has grown steadily from about S$50 million in 2000 to almost S$140 million in 2008.  Prominent Singapore companies like Banyan Tree and Hotel Properties Ltd are active in the tourism sector in the Maldives.  Singapore companies have also invested in water infrastructural projects. In 2005, Keppel Integrated Engineering along with the Public Utilities Board successfully completed the installation and commissioning of a desalination plant in the Maldives.  There is scope for further cooperation, in tourism, air services, urban development and trade, which will further strengthen the economic links between our countries.

The Maldives and Singapore also cooperate closely on human resource development.  Both our countries recognise the importance of public sector reform and of having capable human capital to sustain economic development.  To date more than 900 Maldivian officials have been trained under the Singapore Cooperation Programme, in diverse fields covering civil aviation, information technology, tourism, healthcare, urban planning and development, and governance.  Within our limited resources, we will continue to provide such training places to the Maldives.

We treasure our friendship with the Maldives, and I am confident that Your Excellency’s visit will be a stepping-stone to a deeper and broader bilateral relationship.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I invite you now to rise and join me in a toast to:

• The continued good health and success of His Excellency President Mohamed Nasheed;
  
  
• The peace, happiness and prosperity of the people of the Maldives;
  
  
• The continued friendship and close ties between Singapore and the Maldives.