Singapore, Indonesia to discuss 'reciprocal green lane' travel arrangement
SINGAPORE — Singapore and Indonesia will begin discussions on a “reciprocal green lane” arrangement to allow essential travel to gradually resume amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a media release on Tuesday (25 August), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the two countries’ Foreign Ministers – Singapore’s Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Indonesia’s Retno Marsudi – have tasked officials to plan the travel arrangement in a manner that would safeguard public health, given the strong business links between the two countries.
Singapore has green lane arrangements in place with Malaysia and China, and is discussing them with a number of countries, including Japan. Meanwhile, Indonesia has travel corridor arrangements for essential business travel with China, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Courtesy call to PM Lee
Retno is on a three-day visit to Singapore, where she was hosted to lunch by Balakrishnan. She also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on Tuesday.
The MFA media release said that the two Foreign Ministers agreed that Singapore and Indonesia should work closely together to strengthen public health cooperation; enhance economic growth and investments; deepen financial cooperation; and facilitate safe travel.
PM Lee and Retno also reaffirmed the “excellent relations” between the two countries, and discussed how they continue to work together to overcome the common challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Retno will depart Singapore on Wednesday.
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