SINGAPORE — Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to make his first official visit to Central Asia, travelling to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Aug. 24 to 31 as Singapore looks to deepen economic and strategic ties with two of the region’s key economies.
According to Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office, Lee will visit Kazakhstan from Aug. 24 to 27 before travelling to Uzbekistan from Aug. 27 to 31. The trip will take him to Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan, followed by Tashkent and Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
The visit comes as Singapore continues to expand its engagement with Central Asia, a region that Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes as strategically important because of its position linking Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Singapore has also highlighted shared interests with Central Asian countries in areas including human-resource development, economic cooperation and regional stability.
Kazakhstan visit brings trade and high-level meetings
In Kazakhstan, Lee is scheduled to meet President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, and Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.
One of the most notable moments of the visit will be Lee receiving Kazakhstan’s Order of Dostyk (Friendship) of the First Class, an honour to be conferred by President Tokayev.
Lee will also deliver a lecture at Nazarbayev University, where he is expected to receive an honorary professorship. In Almaty, he will meet Singaporean and Kazakh business leaders following a lunch hosted by Almaty Mayor Darkhan Satybaldy.
The economic relationship gives the Kazakhstan leg particular significance.
Singapore’s bilateral trade in goods with Kazakhstan reached S$326.6 million, while trade in services totalled S$159 million, according to figures cited by CNA. Kazakhstan is Singapore’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. Cooperation has also broadened beyond trade into areas such as water management, digital integration and research exchanges.
Singapore and Kazakhstan have already built a framework for deeper economic cooperation. Singapore is part of the Eurasian Economic Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, while a Services and Investment Agreement with Kazakhstan was signed in 2023 under that framework.
Uzbekistan visit could open another trade front
The second half of Lee’s trip could prove particularly significant for Singapore’s trade ambitions.
In Tashkent, Lee will meet Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. He will also deliver a speech at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan’s parliament.
Lee will then travel to Samarkand, where he will be hosted by Samarkand Region Governor Adiz Boboev.
The biggest economic development to watch is a potential Singapore-Uzbekistan free trade agreement.
Singapore and Uzbekistan are expected during Lee’s visit to sign a joint statement formalising their intention to launch negotiations for an FTA. That distinction matters: the agreement has not yet been concluded or signed as a completed free trade deal. Instead, the two countries are moving toward formally beginning negotiations.
Uzbekistan was Singapore’s second-largest services trading partner in Central Asia in 2024 and its third-largest goods trading partner in Central Asia in 2025, according to CNA.
The potential FTA would add another layer to an already expanding relationship. Singapore’s MFA said the two countries have signed agreements covering areas including economic cooperation, transport, healthcare, higher education, intellectual property protection, legal cooperation, security cooperation, civil-service training and standards.
Why Central Asia matters to Singapore
Lee’s trip reflects a broader Singapore strategy of maintaining and expanding connections beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
Singapore’s MFA describes Central Asia as occupying an important geostrategic position between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The ministry has also noted that Singapore and Central Asian countries share development objectives, particularly around human capital and creating conditions for socio-economic growth.
The diplomatic relationship has accelerated through a series of high-level visits.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a state visit to Singapore in January 2023, followed by then-President Halimah Yacob’s visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in May that year. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev subsequently made a state visit to Singapore in May 2024.
Lee’s upcoming trip therefore builds on several years of expanding political and economic engagement rather than representing an isolated diplomatic initiative.
A trip with business implications
For Singapore companies, Central Asia offers opportunities in sectors that extend beyond traditional merchandise trade.
Singapore’s previous engagement with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has highlighted areas such as logistics, transportation, tourism and commodity trading, while more recent cooperation has expanded into digital development, water management, research and other knowledge-intensive fields.
The potential Singapore-Uzbekistan FTA negotiations could become an important next step if they eventually produce a completed agreement, potentially creating a clearer framework for businesses seeking to expand commercial links between Southeast Asia and Central Asia.
For now, however, the immediate focus will be on what emerges from Lee’s meetings with the two countries’ political leaders and business communities.
And that is what makes the Aug. 24-31 trip worth watching: Singapore is not simply strengthening old diplomatic ties—it is positioning itself for a deeper economic presence in a strategically important part of Central Asia.
What to watch next
The most closely watched development will likely come from Uzbekistan, where Singapore and Uzbekistan are expected to formalise their intention to begin FTA negotiations.
If those negotiations eventually lead to a completed agreement, it could mark a significant new phase in Singapore-Uzbekistan economic relations.
For Kazakhstan, attention will centre on opportunities to expand existing trade and investment cooperation, alongside Singapore’s broader engagement with Kazakhstan’s digital, infrastructure and business sectors.
Lee’s first Central Asia visit therefore carries both diplomatic symbolism and potentially significant commercial implications for Singapore.
The question now is what concrete agreements, business opportunities and new trade channels will emerge after the meetings begin
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