SINGAPORE: Young tech professionals from Singapore and Indonesia can work and gain experience in each other’s tech industries, under an agreement signed by the two countries on Thursday (Mar 16).

The Tech:X Programme was among six new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed at the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat. The agreements covered areas such as energy, sustainability, health and human capital development.

In remarks delivered after the signing of the MOUs, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also spoke about the progress in bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

He pointed to the ratification of the three agreements under the Expanded Framework, whose signing was witnessed by Mr Lee and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo at the previous retreat.

Mr Lee noted that both countries have “taken a major step forward to resolve three longstanding bilateral issues” and are “ready to break new ground in fresh areas of cooperation”. 

TECH EXCHANGE

The Tech:X programme will allow young tech professionals in Singapore and Indonesia to “pursue growing opportunities in each other’s digital economies”, said Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). 

The agreement with the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs will also “deepen linkages” between the tech ecosystems in both countries, MTI said. 

These professionals from Singapore and Indonesia should be below the age of 30, and have graduated not more than five years prior with at least a bachelor’s degree from listed universities in both countries. 

More details on the programme will be released when ready, said MTI.

“Our tech cooperation will strengthen ASEAN collaboration in this emerging sector. This includes working towards a Digital Economy Framework Agreement under Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship,” said Mr Lee.