Official Visit to Doha, Qatar, by the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law Mr K Shanmugam

1. Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, Mr K Shanmugam, made an official visit to Doha, Qatar, from 20 to 21 May 2024.

2. Minister Shanmugam spoke at the Global Security Forum on 20 May 2024. The theme of the Forum was ‘Strategic Competition: The Complexity of Interdependence’. Minister Shanmugam participated in a fireside chat, and spoke about global issues, including Singapore’s perspective of the US-China competition.

3. Minister Shanmugam paid a courtesy call on Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and had separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H.E. Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Minister of Interior, H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the Governor of the Qatar Central Bank, H.E. Sheikh Bandar Bin Mohammed Bin Saoud Al Thani. During the meetings, the leaders reaffirmed the excellent relations between Singapore and Qatar, and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties.

4. To further enhance the cooperation between Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore (MHA) and the Qatar Ministry of Interior (QMOI), an Action Plan on Bilateral Cooperation was signed between both ministries on 21 May 2024. The Action Plan was signed by Senior Director of the International Cooperation and Partnerships Division of MHA, Mr Sebastian Tan, and Acting Director of the International Cooperation Department of QMOI, Major General Nasser Yousuf Al-Mal, and witnessed by Minister Shanmugam and H.E. Sheikh Khalifa. The Action Plan detailed the cooperation activities that both ministries would work on together to enhance security cooperation.

5. Minister Shanmugam also visited the recently established Al Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women. He met with renowned scholars and had an insightful exchange of views on Muslim women and their role in society.