The 15th Abu Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum (ADSJF) convened on 28 October 2024 in Singapore, bringing together senior officials from both nations to reinforce one of the Middle East's most productive bilateral partnerships. The forum was co-chaired by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Affairs Authority, and Dr. Tan See Leng, Singapore's Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
The session formed part of the official visit of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to Singapore and was attended by ambassadors, senior officials, and delegations from both the government and private sectors.
UAE-Singapore Bilateral Trade Reaches $5.8 Billion
The UAE is Singapore's largest trading partner in the Middle East. Non-oil bilateral trade between the two countries reached $5.8 billion in 2023, underscoring the depth of economic ties that the ADSJF was established to grow. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across priority sectors.
Key Sectors on the ADSJF Agenda
The 2024 forum focused on sustaining established collaborations while identifying new partnership opportunities across six strategic areas:
- Financial services and fintech - Green economy and food security - Government services - Space technology - Nuclear energy for peaceful purposes
Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak highlighted the forum's strategic importance: "The Abu Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum is indeed a working model of a theatre that offers valuable opportunities for working on the enhancement of the relations between the two states as well as the creation of partnerships in the corresponding spheres of interest."
Dr. Tan echoed those sentiments, noting that since the ADSJF's establishment in 2008, it has played a crucial role in economic diplomacy and co-creating business development opportunities for both countries.
Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative Takes Centre Stage
A highlight of the 2024 session was a dedicated discussion on global water scarcity, featuring an introduction to the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative (MBZWI), which was launched in Abu Dhabi in 2024. The initiative aims to address water scarcity by supporting the development and application of breakthrough technologies and raising awareness of water issues globally.
A Partnership Built Over Decades
The ADSJF was launched in 2007 and formally established in 2008, embedding UAE-Singapore relations in a structured platform for active trade, investment, and strategic engagement. The 15th edition reaffirmed that the partnership continues to grow across the full spectrum of priority sectors for both economies.
