VIENNA: Singapore and Austria on Wednesday (Oct 17) inked a partnership that will bolster the exchange of information and best practices in key areas of digitalisation and information and communications technology (ICT).
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will cover digitalisation strategies for businesses among other things, was signed by Singapore’s Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran and Austria’s Federal Minister of Digital and Economic Affairs Margarete Schramboeck at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is in the Austrian capital for a one-day official visit, witnessed the signing, alongside Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
Singapore’s Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran and Austria’s Federal Minister of Digital and Economic Affairs Margarete Schramboeck at the MOU signing held at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. (Photo: Tang See Kit)
The new partnership will facilitate cooperation in areas like the digital economy and digitalisation strategies, which include solutions for small- and medium-sized enterprises, help for start-ups and the development of industry technology roadmaps.
It is also set to promote information-sharing in other aspects such as digital government, electronic commerce and digital trade, as well as the related regulatory approaches to emerging technologies like blockchain.
The MOU follows discussions between officials earlier this year, with both countries recognising the growing importance of digitalisation for businesses and government, which holds opportunities for greater bilateral cooperation.
