Singapore, UAE ink agreements on energy, public health and water cooperation
Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday (Oct 21) signed three memorandums of understanding that will enhance cooperation in disease vector control, energy and water.The signing of the agreements was witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an ongoing three-day official visit by the city state's leader that began on Tuesday.The two leaders also announced in a joint statement that their countries will begin negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)."The CEPA will deepen economic integration, facilitate trade and investment flows, and create opportunities for businesses in both countries," said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement on Wednesday.Energy cooperationUnder the energy cooperate agreement, Singapore and the UAE will set up a joint energy taskforce under the ambit of the Abu-Dhabi-Singapore Joint Forum. Both countries will explore opportunities and deepen cooperation across the energy value chain, including trading, infrastructure, and downstream activities.