PM Lawrence Wong at the Joint Press Conference with Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese (Apr 2026)

The Honourable Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Ladies and gentlemen

Good afternoon

Let me extend a very warm welcome to Prime Minister Albanese and your delegation to Singapore. 

It is very good to see you again my friend. I would have preferred, of course, for us to meet under more favourable circumstances. Unfortunately, these are difficult times, not just for Australia and Singapore, but for countries everywhere.

The conflict in the Middle East is disrupting global supply chains and energy markets. The effects are rippling across the global economy. As open and trade-dependent nations, Singapore and Australia feel these pressures directly. 

That is why in times like these, we must work closely, move faster, and stand together – not just to manage the risks, but to protect the wellbeing of our people.

And that is exactly what Prime Minister Albanese and I have been doing.

Two weeks ago, we spoke and issued a joint statement to strengthen our energy security.

Today we took that further – with concrete steps to reinforce our resilience and to keep supply lines open.

First, we agreed on a simple but critical principle: we will keep trade flowing between our two countries. Essential goods will continue to move between Australia and Singapore. That includes liquefied natural gas or LNG, which Australia supplies to Singapore, as well as refined petroleum products like diesel, which Singapore supplies to Australia. And I appreciate Prime Minister Albanese’s assurance that Australia will continue supplying LNG to Singapore because this is vital for us – natural gas is our main source for power generation. Likewise, I have assured Prime Minister Albanese that Singapore will continue supplying refined fuels to Australia. As a global refining hub, we will keep these flows going — as long as upstream supplies continue.

Second, we are moving quickly to translate these commitments into action. We are working towards a legally binding protocol on economic resilience and essential supplies, covering energy and other critical sectors. This is not just about managing today’s crisis. It is about building trusted supply lines for a more uncertain future. Our officials have already had extensive discussions on the protocol and we have agreed to accelerate the negotiations, and we aim to conclude the agreement soon.

Third, we will step up coordination. Our teams will stay in close contact to manage and respond quickly to any external disruptions that may affect us or impact our supply chains. We will convene our first Energy Ministerial Dialogue soon and establish an Economic Resilience Dialogue. And these platforms will enable us to deepen cooperation as the situation evolves and preserve the flow of essential supplies between our two countries.

To conclude, these are uncertain and unprecedented times. But it is precisely in such times that partnerships matter most. Singapore and Australia have tackled challenges together before. During the Covid pandemic, we worked closely to keep critical supply chains open. Our partnership is built on trust — and that trust is enabling us to act decisively today.

In a more fractured and volatile world, we choose to stay open, to stay connected and to stand together. 

Through the strength of our partnership, I am confident that Australia and Singapore will not just get through the crisis — but we will emerge stronger and more resilient.

So once again, Prime Minister Albanese, thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your partnership, and for the excellent discussions we have had today.