VENTURING INTO AFRICA
Mr Lee said Singapore is encouraging its people and businesses to venture into new markets in Africa.
“We are also happy to share our experience in economic development, human resource development and capacity building with others,” he said.
This is why the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) was launched in 1992, Mr Lee said. The programme offers training courses on topics like public health, trade and economy, as well as leadership and governance.
“On this 30th anniversary of the SCP, I am happy to announce a three-year Singapore-Africa Partnership Package,” Mr Lee said.
“We will customise courses in priority areas for Africa. These will cover emerging issues such as on climate change and sustainability, and digitalisation and smart cities.”
African officials will also get “priority placement” in SCP courses, while senior African officials will be offered postgraduate scholarships in Singapore universities, he continued.
“Rwandan officials have actively participated in SCP courses over the years,” he added, noting that more than 12,000 African officials, including many from Rwanda, have attended the “well-received” SCP courses to date.
“And we look forward to Rwanda’s and Africa’s continued participation in the SCP.”
In response to a question on Africa’s potential and how Singapore could help develop it, Mr Lee said Africa is a “continent on the move”.
“It’s a huge population. It’s very diverse. The countries have a huge range of economic situations and political environments. And in that complexity, there are multiple bright spots and Rwanda is one of them,” he said.
“It’s had a traumatic past in the genocide … And it’s determined to pick itself up beyond that, to reconcile the hurt and to move forward and see hope for the future.
“And when a population feels like that and is on the move, and has a leadership and a government which is organising it and setting the direction and making things happen, there are opportunities for themselves and for their partners.”
