Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov has attended the fourth meeting of the High-Level Russia-Singapore Inter-Governmental Commission, chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
During the meeting, the sides signed a joint statement on further strengthening bilateral ties. The Russian side also provided its partner with a new version of the road map for developing Russia-Singapore cooperation in the sphere of telecommunications technologies.
Mr Nikiforov noted that Russia-Singapore cooperation in the sphere of telecommunications and information technologies was developing positively.
For instance, bilateral ties are being strengthened between the new Russian city of Innopolis and Singapore’s RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Company, which has drafted its master plan. “We are interested in continuing this fruitful cooperation,” the Minister stressed.
Mr Nikiforov noted that Russia remains focused on the development of the IT sector, and that the Singaporean side has therefore been invited to visit the Russian Federation to exchange experience with IT start-ups and to tour technology parks in Mordovia, Tatarstan, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo.
“We realise that the relevant human resource potential is needed to ensure the successful operation of technology parks. Therefore, we are also interested in the experience of the Singaporean side in using cutting-edge tutorial technologies for training highly skilled specialists,” Mr Nikiforov added.
The Minister of Communications and Mass Media also noted that the sides had previously agreed to actively expand cooperation in creating and developing e-government and providing online government services. A new version of the road map for developing Russia-Singapore cooperation in the sphere of telecommunications and IT technologies has been drafted to accomplish this objective. “I believe that its signing will be a new positive step in the development of our successful cooperation,” the Minister said.
Under this document, Russia-Singapore cooperation priorities in the sphere of telecommunications and IT technologies include the creation of an information society and its development, the creation of high-tech technology parks, the creation of a favourable institutional environment for the development of small and medium businesses, the training of highly skilled specialists and the organisation of trade and economic cooperation between Russian and Singaporean telecommunications and IT companies.
In addition, the sides signed a joint statement, in which they expressed confidence that Russia and Singapore will continue to expand bilateral cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis for the countries and their peoples. The sides also noted the positive development of bilateral relations, including those in the telecommunications and IT sector. For instance, the Singaporean side thanked Russia for a proposal to organise training and business visits and experience-exchange missions, which will allow Singapore’s telecommunications and IT companies to expand cooperation with their Russian partners.
Source: Ministry of Communications and Mass Media
