Singapore's Diplomatic Expansion Strategies in Africa and Latin America

27 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) which countries in Africa and Latin America will the Ministry be setting up new diplomatic missions in the coming years; (b) what are the key considerations for establishing a resident mission as opposed to utilising a non-resident ambassador to conduct diplomacy; and (c) whether there are concurrent plans to accredit non-resident ambassadors to more countries.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: We continually evaluate the network of Overseas Missions that Singapore maintains, based on factors such as where they can most effectively advance Singapore's interests in these regions. We currently have 53 Overseas Missions around the world.

In view of our resource and manpower constraints, we supplement our overseas presence with the appointment of Non-Resident Ambassadors (NRAs) who travel regularly to engage foreign governments. NRAs, drawn from diverse backgrounds such as the private sector and academia, have been instrumental in representing Singapore and advancing our interests.

We will consider the establishment of more Overseas Missions according to national needs and the resources available.