DPM Tharman meets Armenian PM and ILO director-general in Davos

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Davos on Thursday (Jan 24).

Mr Tharman said they had a productive conversation, saying in a post on Twitter: “A new beginning for Armenia – in politics, governance, opening markets and developing their huge tourism potential.”

Mr Pashinyan, a former journalist, led a velvet revolution and took office in May 2018. His office said they discussed the possibilities for Singapore businessmen to invest in Armenia, and of exporting Armenian products such as brandy, wine, beer and fruit juices to Singapore.

Mr Tharman noted that Armenian links with Singapore go back 200 years, and both are working on a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Singapore.

He also conveyed an invitation from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for Mr Pashinyan to visit Singapore, and Mr Pashinyan stressed the importance of Singapore companies taking part in the World IT Congress in Armenia in October, Mr Pashinyan’s office said.

Mr Tharman also met International Labour Organisation director-general Guy Ryder, who posted a photo of their meeting on Twitter and said: “Singapore’s record on jobs, skills, pay and tripartite cooperation is remarkable”.

Mr Ryder added that he looked forward to visiting the Republic in April.

Mr Tharman, meanwhile, said they had a good discussion. He added that Mr Ryder “has been strongly supportive of Singapore’s tripartite approach to securing good labour outcomes – especially broad-based income growth and low unemployment”.

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