Ambassador Laurence Bay & Premier Michael Kretschmer – Picture by Sächsische Staatskanzlei.
Wednesday, 13 February 2019, Dresden, Free State of Saxony: Premier of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, received for a visite de courtoisie the Singaporean ambassador Laurence Bay, who is accredited to the German Federation since 28 September 2016.
Both dignitaries spoke about the economic and cultural ties between Saxony and Singapore, particularly in the field of microelectronics and Industry 4.0 as well as the upcoming trade and cooperation accords between the EU and Singapore.
Namely the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement (IPA), which shall replace 12 existing bilateral investment treaties between Singapore and various EU member states, encouraging investments and setting out rules giving investors protection. The other being the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which provides a framework to deepen cooperation in key political areas from transport to science and technology.
These latter covenants must be sanctioned by all parliamentary bodies within the EU, also regional ones such as the Saxon Assembly (Landtag).
Ambassador Laurence Bay arrived in Germany in 2016. He pursued studies in politics and statecraft and has been posted in Indonesia and Japan previously.
For further information:
https://www1.mfa.gov.sg/overseas-mission/Berlin/DE/Berlin-DE
