Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed continued his Asian tour with a visit to Singapore, as part of efforts to further bolster ties with the country.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces landed in the island city-state on Thursday and received a ceremonial welcome at the Istana, the official residence and office of the President of Singapore.
He was welcomed by President Halimah Yacob, with whom he held discussions over an official lunch.
Sheikh Mohamed said he was pleased to visit Singapore and meet with Ms Yacob. "We're both keen to further strengthen our bilateral ties and are optimistic about their future," he said on Twitter.
The pair discussed ways to further co-operation between both countries in areas of mutual interest. Ms Yacob said she hoped Sheikh Mohamed’s visit would enhance the relationship between the UAE and Singapore, reported state news agency.
On the agenda were matters pertaining to trade, economic investments, tourism and cultural and educational exchanges.
Sheikh Mohamed said the UAE was keen to learn from Singapore’s development experience. He also signed the visitor book at Istana.
Sheikh Mohamed's next stop was a visit to Mubadala Investments' GlobalFoundries plant in Singapore. He was welcomed to the facility where microchips are made by Kay Chai Ang, senior vice president and general manager for GlobalFoundries Asia and Europe Operations.
The GlobalFoundries plant in Singapore’s Woodlands Technology Park employs more than 5,500 highly skilled workers.
Sheikh Mohamed was given a tour of the facilities and was immersed in a Virtual Reality presentation where he witnessed a live demonstration of the manufacture of advanced semi-conductor products in a clean, pollution-free environment.
"To create a better future for the next generation, we are keen to support vital sectors that meet the requirements of modernity by advancing development and progress, especially in the fields of technology and science," Sheikh Mohamed said during the visit.
Sheikh Mohamed, who was accompanied by a delegation of ministers and senior officials, then met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at parliament.
Mr Lee also hosted a dinner for Sheikh Mohamed and the UAE delegation.
“Our meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is a testament to the strength of our ties. Singapore's development model is a pioneering experience, and we seek to learn from it,” Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter.
Sheikh Mohamed and Prime Minister Lee witnessed the signing of a joint declaration on a Singapore-UAE Comprehensive Partnership, aimed at boosting links between the nations, as well as a number of agreements between the two countries.
The agreements included a deal between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Nanyang Technological University, signed by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Adnoc group chief executive and UAE Minister of State. The UAE and Singapore also agreed to work together on sustainable urban planning projects.
Samuel Tan, Singapore's Ambassador to the UAE, welcomed the visit of Sheikh Mohamed.
"We were happy to welcome His Highness to Singapore again since his last visit almost ten years ago. The signing of the Singapore-UAE Comprehensive Partnership was a milestone and elevated the bilateral relations to a higher level," Mr Tan told The National
"As small countries, we share similar challenges in a globalised economy. There is much we can learn from each other and benefit from each other's experience"
Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to Singapore follows on from a successful two-day tour of South Korea this week.
He landed in Seoul on Tuesday before meeting with President Moon Jae-in to discuss co-operation in 5G technology, information technology, security and defence.
Sheikh Mohamed started his official tour with a stop at Memorial Tower in Seoul National Cemetery.
The visit to the memorial - which commemorates South Korean veterans - began with a flag-raising ceremony before Sheikh Mohamed laid a wreath at the base of the landmark.
Sheikh Mohamed's visit "reaffirms the UAE’s excellent and long-standing relations with Singapore," said the Singapore Foreign Ministry.
Last May, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met Singapore's president Halimah Yacob on an official visit to the country.
Sheikh Abdullah discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and food security during the high-level meeting.
