SINGAPORE: Starting next year, a new high-level fellowship honouring former Singapore President S R Nathan will see foreign officials, such as cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and mayors, coming to Singapore on customised training visits that meet their interests and needs.
The S R Nathan Fellowship will be part of the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), which provides technical assistance to other countries.
Primarily focused on ASEAN, the programme provides training and experience in areas such as public administration, port management, economic development and civil aviation.
Over the past two decades, SCP has trained over 80,000 officials from 170 countries.
Speaking at SCP's 20th anniversary on Thursday evening, Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam, said going forward, SCP will improve and customise its existing programmes.
He added that Singapore is partnering international organisations and countries such as the US in the effort.
"We have already started on all of this. In January this year, to support Myanmar's efforts in reform, we put together an enhanced technical assistance package tailored to Myanmar's present needs.
"In February we signed an MOU with Hillary Clinton to establish the Singapore-US Third Country Training Programme, primarily in support of ASEAN's community building efforts.
"We have also developed a new programme on sustainable development and climate change focused on small island states and the least developed countries."
Also speaking at the event, former Singapore President S R Nathan said he hopes the participants of the Fellowship will not regard their visit to Singapore as a one-off contact, but the start of a long and meaningful journey filled with conversations with their Singaporean counterparts.
- CNA/lp
S R Nathan Fellowship set up for foreign dignitaries' training
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S R Nathan Fellowship set up for foreign dignitaries' training
