Over the years, political relations and economic ties between the United Arab Emirates and Singapore have been strengthened dramatically, particularly across sectors including trade, politics, tourism and arts and culture.
For the past five years, there has been a substantial rise in trade between Singapore and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - from SGD59 billion in 2008 to SGD68.5bn in 2012 - symbolising strong economic relations.
As for the UAE and the South-Asian state, there was a 24 per cent hike - totaling SGD25.4bn - between 2011 and 2012.
The growing trade and tourism figures between the GCC and Singapore are key indicators of the strong relationships that are developing between the two countries. There has been a steady rise in visitors from the UAE to Singapore, which has also been mirrored by an increase in Singaporean visitors to the Gulf region.
In May, Singapore s foreign minister, K Shanmugam, visited his counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the UAE, for a two-day official visit. The trip was the first made by a foreign minister (from Singapore) since 1996 and Umej Bhatia, ambassador to the UAE, said it heralded a new era of political, diplomatic and economic ties between the two states.
At the time, Bhatia said that the UAE has seen Singapore as a model and, in the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision, it was highlighted among four nations for the vision to be built on.
"We, however, believe that it is a two-way street - there is much to learn from the UAE as well - and we are looking to develop long-term economic development ties," he said.
Earlier this month, the country s ties were further cemented when Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed met Singapore s president during a visit to the South Asian state, where he attended a dinner hosted by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. The two dignitaries discussed the need to enhance further trade relations between the two countries, particularly in energy and investment.
One of the many remarkable developments in politics includes Singapore s recent upgrading of its diplomatic missions in Qatar and the UAE.
As a result of these solidified ties across various economic and social sectors, the arts and culture scene between the two nations has also flourished. Various government agencies have worked cohesively to develop the art scene and host contemporary works from the Middle East.
A prime example is the Singapore Art Museum that operates under the National Heritage Board (NHB) partnering with UAE-based patron Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah. The Singapore Art Museum plans to showcase works from the Barjeel Art Foundation at an Arab art exhibition from June 28 to September 8.
