SG, WTO ink MoU to establish secondment programme for gov't officials

Each secondee will be accompanied by a national officer from a least-developed country.

Singapore and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a secondment programme for Singaporean government officials at the WTO Secretariat. 

This marks the WTO’s first formal secondment partnership and aims to bolster professional development and mutual understanding between the WTO Secretariat and Singapore’s policymakers.

Under the programme, Singaporean officials will gain firsthand experience at the WTO, enhancing their knowledge of the organisation’s functions while promoting cross-learning.

Each Singaporean secondee will be accompanied by a national officer from a least-developed country, who will also be seconded for a 12-month period. This inclusion aims to foster greater knowledge-sharing across different economic contexts.

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, highlighted that the programme will allow Singapore to deepen its ties with the WTO and contribute more directly to discussions on evolving trade issues. The secondments are scheduled to commence in 2025.