S'pore will support Egyptian hospitals treating injured Palestinians, S'pore Red Cross hands over S$1.2 million aid package: President Tharman in Egypt

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) handed over a S$1.2 million aid package to the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC).

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam witnessed this symbolic handover of the Gaza aid package on Sep. 21, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press statement.

This was part of President Tharman's first state visit to Egypt from Sep. 19 to 22, at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.

It marks President Tharman's first state visit to the Middle East and North African region, where he announced other ways Singapore will help victims of the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Two-state solution

He said in a joint press conference at Al Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Egypt on Sep. 20: "Singapore is greatly concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as the prospects for peace in the region."

He added that the Singapore Government has consistently supported the rights of the Palestinian people to a homeland of their own.

"We firmly believe that a negotiated two-state solution, consistent with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, is the only viable path to achieve a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to this longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict," said President Tharman.

"Singapore will hence continue to support all efforts to achieve the two-state solution."

Tenth tranche of aid

Singapore will also support Egyptian hospitals in treating injured Palestinians.

The Ministry of Health is working with its Egyptian counterparts to help with training and case consultations.

President Tharman also said during the joint press conference: "I am also pleased to share that two Singapore doctors and one clinician are now at Nasser Institute Hospital, providing care to Palestinian patients from Gaza, as well as training in paediatric renal dialysis and paediatric haematology."

He said this marks the first time Egypt has allowed foreign doctors to be deployed to its hospitals.

"We appreciate that this role was accorded to Singapore. We will continue working with Egypt to help civilians from Gaza."

Aid for Gaza

The SRC donation is part of its S$1.9 million worth of humanitarian aid for Gaza through the ERC.

It is a portion of Singapore's tenth tranche of humanitarian assistance for affected civilians in Gaza.

This latest donation marks Singapore's cumulative contribution of S$23.3 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Part of that includes the aid package which will support funding to obtain critical medical supplies.

The funding will also help to provide classes through a mobile educational unit. This is especially for Palestinian children with injuries who have been evacuated to Egypt.

These donations are made up of S$440,000 worth of tents.

It also comprises S$758,000 funding to support the ERC in delivering essential medical and educational services for Palestinian evacuees in Egypt.

Use of funds

The aid is split into two parts.

Firstly, the funds will be used to procure medical consumables and equipment. About 4,000 evacuees and their companions will benefit from this.

The funds will also be used to procure and retrofit a van into a mobile education unit. This will serve around 2,000 Palestinian children residing in ERC-managed accommodation centres.

Affirming diplomatic relations

In addition to the aid package, President Tharman also attended the the Singapore-Egypt Business Forum on Sep. 21.

It was organised by the organised by the Egypt General Authority for Investment and Free Zones and the Singapore Business Federation.

During the forum, six agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed.

The agreements and MOUs included fields such as technical and vocational education and training, capacity-building in international arbitration, as well as public policy education.

It was witnessed by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, Egypt Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib, as well as Egypt Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif.

President Tharman will also meet Grand Imam of Al Azhar His Eminence Prof Dr Ahmed Al Tayyeb on Sep. 22.

They will witness the signing of a MOU between the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and Al Azhar University.

This is to renew cooperation on the Singapore College of Islamic Studies' Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Studies.

Before leaving Egypt, President Tharman will also meet Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark.

60th anniversary of diplomatic relations

The state visit comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, due in 2026.

Al Sisi was the first Egyptian president to visit Singapore when he made a State Visit in 2015.

Previous Singaporean presidents have also visited the country, beginning with S R Nathan in 2006, and Tony Tan in 2016.

Top photos via Tharman Shanmugaratnam/Facebook and Canva