Prime Minister Witnesses the Signing of Bilateral Agreements with Singapore

"I am pleased to see the expansion of Canada's ties with Singapore," said the Prime Minister. "These agreements will strengthen our mutual development co-operation in Southeast Asia and promote cultural links between our countries, to the long-term benefit of both our citizens and the region as a whole."

A General Agreement on Development Co-operation and Trilateral Technical Assistance and an Audio-Visual Co-production Agreement were signed by Secretary of State (Asia- Pacific) Raymond Chan and Dr. Ow Chin Hock, Singapore's Minister of State (Foreign Affairs).

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Canada–Singapore General Agreement on Development Co-operation and Trilateral Technical Assistance

Under this Agreement, Canada and Singapore will jointly fund and implement a wide range of training and technical assistance programs in developing countries in Southeast Asia, many of which respond to needs created by the economic and financial crisis in the region. Canada's share of the funding is provided by the Canadian International Development Agency.

The first training programs will focus on reforms in the banking and financial sector and related financial training for public sector managers. Other programs include better quality control in fisheries, sea and air rescue, English language training, cultural and natural resource management, and women's health care and other bio-medical services.

The first countries to take advantage of the training will be Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Others, including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, are expected to participate later.

Audio-visual Co-Production Agreement

The Agreement will allow film and television producers to pool their creative, technical and financial resources to co-produce programming that will be considered national productions in each of the partner countries and facilitate their access to foreign markets. Co-productions, like solely Canadian or Singaporean productions, are considered to be "national content" and maintain producers' access to funding available in their own country.

The Agreement, which is the responsibility of Canadian Heritage, supports the development of expanding cultural relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthens both countries' domestic audio-visual industries. It highlights Canada's leading role in the information revolution in content as well as infrastructure. It also facilitates the expansion of Canada's economically significant cultural industries.