President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be visiting New York in the U.S. for work from Nov. 27, 2023 to Dec. 4, 2023.

Five-day working visit

The President's Office said on Nov. 26 that Tharman will be delivering a distinguished key lecture and engaging in a dialogue at Columbia University as part of its World Leaders Forum series during his five-day itinerary, reported CNA and The Straits Times.

He is also meeting the United Nations (UN) secretary-general Antonio Guterres, as well as several financial sector leaders.

Tharman will also be chairing the UN's Human Development Report advisory board and a Group of Thirty (G30) plenary hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

He is a co-chairman on the UN's Human Development Report advisory board and the chairman of the G30's Board of Trustees (BoT).

During his time in the U.S., Tharman will also meet a group of Singaporeans based there.

He will be accompanied by officials from the President’s Office during his trip.

The chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers Eddie Teo will exercise the functions of the office of President during Tharman's absence.

Amendments to constitution on Nov. 22

A constitutional amendment bill was passed in Parliament on Nov. 22 allowing Singapore's presidents and ministers to hold positions in foreign and international organisations in their private capacities, if it is in the nation's interest.

Besides his role in the UN's Human Development Report advisory board and the G30 BoT, Tharman also co-chairs the Global Commission on the Economics of Water.

He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s board of trustees.

Related story

Top image via Alessandra Benedetti/FAO.