The Embassy of Singapore in Cairo hosted a reception on Tuesday to celebrate Singapore’s National Day, marking the 61st anniversary of the country’s National Day and 60 years of diplomatic relations and friendship between Egypt and Singapore.
In his speech at the reception, Singaporean Ambassador to Egypt Dominic Goh affirmed the strength and distinctiveness of bilateral relations, noting that they are based on shared interests, including freedom of navigation, support for the two-state solution to the Palestinian issue, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.
The ambassador said Egyptian-Singaporean relations have witnessed steady growth in recent years, driven by regular high-level visits and cooperation across a wide range of fields. He highlighted Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s visit to Egypt in September 2025, which, he said, once again reflected the depth of the countries’ longstanding friendship and strengthened their multifaceted cooperation.
Ambassador Goh also reiterated Singapore’s appreciation for Egypt as the first Arab country to recognize Singapore’s independence in 1965, before the two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1966.
$500 Million in Singaporean Investments in Egypt
Dominic Goh said economic relations represent one of the key pillars of the partnership between the two countries, noting that Singapore is the fifth-largest Asian investor in Egypt, with investments exceeding $500 million and continuing to grow.
He pointed out that Singaporean company Indorama recently announced plans to inject an additional $525 million in investments into Egypt.
The ambassador emphasized that Egypt and Singapore, as two major maritime hubs located along vital global shipping routes, share strong interests in trade, connectivity and logistics services.
He added that Singapore has trained more than 700 Egyptian officials in various fields, ranging from international law to maritime logistics, while Singapore’s Changi Airport conducted a study on improving the efficiency of Cairo International Airport.
$25 Million in Singaporean Aid to Gaza
The ambassador also highlighted the strong ties between the peoples of Egypt and Singapore, noting that generations of Singaporean Islamic religious teachers received their education at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, contributing to the promotion of the values of racial and religious harmony that characterize Singaporean society.
He affirmed that Egypt has been an important partner in facilitating Singapore’s humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, explaining that Singapore’s total contributions have exceeded S$25 million since October 2023.
Cultural Celebrations Marking 60 Years of Relations
Dominic Goh said celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Singapore included a series of cultural activities and events, including the “Singapore Food Festival in Cairo,” the participation of Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong in the Luxor International Photography Forum, and the launch of a book by Egyptian writer Yousry Mansour on Singaporean cuisine, in addition to the “Lilytopia” event held at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
The celebrations will culminate in the Singapore Ballet’s debut performances in Egypt, scheduled to take place at the Cairo Opera House on September 24 and 25, 2026.
The Singaporean ambassador concluded his remarks by reaffirming his country’s and Egypt’s aspiration to elevate their bilateral partnership to a higher level by strengthening and expanding cooperation across various fields, particularly economic, cultural and educational cooperation, as well as increasing people-to-people exchanges, thereby deepening the bonds of friendship and bringing the two countries’ peoples closer together.
Wide Official and Diplomatic Attendance
The reception was attended by a number of officials and prominent figures, including Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education; Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum; Ambassador Hazem El-Tahry, former Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs; Major General Staff Bassem El-Borgessy, Director of the Command and Staff College; Ambassador Mohamed El-Orabi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Carlos Oliver, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration; and Dr. Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities.
The event was also attended by a number of ambassadors accredited to Cairo, including the ambassadors of Jordan, Armenia, Pakistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia, Oman, Brunei, Nepal, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Myanmar, Guatemala, Brazil, Rwanda, Kazakhstan, Argentina, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Mongolia, Malta, Peru, Uruguay, Finland, Norway, Japan and Slovenia.
The reception was also attended by the Deputy Ambassador of South Korea, the Deputy Ambassador of Iraq, the Deputy Ambassador of Chile, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of North Korea, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of [name not provided in the original
