UAE President Welcomes Singapore PM Lawrence Wong in Abu Dhabi

President Sheikh Mohamed hosted an official reception on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi to welcome Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a working visit to the United Arab Emirates.

A guard of honour was presented to Mr Wong as the national anthems of the UAE and Singapore were performed during the ceremony.

Among the senior officials attending the reception were Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser to the UAE President, along with several ministers and other dignitaries.

Bilateral discussions

Mr Wong began his visit to the UAE on Tuesday and held talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The two officials reviewed the longstanding bilateral relationship and later toured the Zayed National Museum, located in the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Deepening economic and strategic ties

Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Singapore were formally established in 1985, and cooperation has expanded steadily across numerous sectors over the following decades.

In February 2019, the two countries signed the Singapore-UAE Comprehensive Partnership, a framework designed to enhance collaboration in trade, investment, defence, security and sustainable development.

More than 600 Singaporean companies are currently operating in the UAE, with activities spanning fintech, healthcare, infrastructure and education.

Recent high-level engagement

In October 2024, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed made an official visit to Singapore, during which he held talks with Prime Minister Wong and witnessed the signing of several agreements aimed at strengthening ties in artificial intelligence, education and renewable energy.

During that visit, the two sides also held high-level discussions at the Singapore Parliament House, focused on consolidating long-term relations. Sheikh Khaled reiterated the importance of boosting UAE-Singapore cooperation, especially in advanced technology, clean energy and urban planning.