PM Wong to visit South Africa, Ethiopia in five-day Africa trip

JOHANNESBURG: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a five-day trip to Africa from Friday (Nov 21), visiting Johannesburg in South Africa and then the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

Mr Wong, who is also finance minister, will attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg from Nov 21 to Nov 23, at the invitation of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Friday. South Africa holds this year’s G20 presidency.

While Singapore is not a member of the bloc, it has been invited to the summit almost every year since 2010.

Ethiopia then beckons for Mr Wong, as he makes an official visit to its capital Addis Ababa from Nov 23 to Nov 25, at the invitation of his Ethiopian counterpart Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

Mr Wong had first spoken about his Africa trip during his party’s convention earlier this month, where he said that Singapore is still a small country with no natural resources, and has to redouble its efforts and work hard to stay relevant in this changed world. This includes expanding its diplomatic reach in regions like Africa and Latin America, he said.

At the G20 Summit, Mr Wong will participate in discussions aimed at promoting growth, and fostering a fair and just future amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and the changing nature of work.

The theme of this year’s summit – the first to be held in Africa – is “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”, as South Africa seeks to address the interlinked global challenges of climate change, inequality, and geopolitical instability.

Mr Wong will also have bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the summit. 

In Ethiopia, Mr Wong will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Adwa Victory Memorial Monument and receive a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace.

He will also meet Dr Abiy, who will host an official dinner in his honour.

Both prime ministers will hold a joint press conference, witness the exchange of bilateral memorandums of understandings (MOUs), and participate in a tree planting ceremony to highlight the importance of sustainable development.

The trip will be Mr Wong’s first to Ethiopia and his first bilateral visit to Africa since taking office. It reciprocates Dr Abiy’s official visit to Singapore in June last year, reaffirming the warm ties between both sides, said PMO.

Mr Wong will also meet Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Dr Jean Kaseya to exchange views on the organisation’s work in Africa and its partnership with Singapore.

Also on his itinerary is a visit to the factory of Repi Wilmar, a Singapore-owned firm in Ethiopia which manufactures popular local household brands of soap and detergent.

Mr Wong will be accompanied by his wife Loo Tze Lui and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on the trip, along with officials from various agencies. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and for Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang and Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and for Health Rahayu Mahzam will join the delegation in Addis Ababa.

In his absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be Acting Prime Minister from Nov 21 to Nov 24. On Nov 25, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam will be Acting Prime Minister.