Andorra
Following the official visit by the PM and Foreign Minister of Andorra to
Singapore in the last two years, I made an official visit to this mountain
principality from Barcelona. It was the first by a Singapore minister and
I must say I had a thrill seeing the Singapore flag fluttering in the
Pyrennes.
Andorra is a small country, a little smaller than Singapore, with fewer
than 40,000 citizens. But it has a history which goes back to the 12th
century and a per capita income of over US$40,000. Andorra is a democracy
with two co-princes as Heads of State, the President of France and the
Catholic Bishop of the neighbouring Spanish region. Carefully balancing
the interests of France and Spain, it avoided occupation by Napoleon and
Hitler. Its economy now depends heavily on tourism, especially skiing in
winter. Andorra also has five banks which operate in many countries.
Foreign Minister Xavier Espot enveloped me with the warmth of his
hospitality. He is a businessman, a lawyer by training. For him, serving
as Foreign Minister is national service, a responsibility he hopes not to
have to shoulder too long. He brought me to see the ancient parliament
house where I called on the Vice President Esteve Lopez. In it is an old
shelf which could only be opened with seven keys, each held by a
Councillor. Only when all were present could new laws be passed. After an
excellent lunch, we visited a well-preserved village called Ordino.
Property prices in Andorra are sky high.
Xavier and I agreed to explore ways for our countries to work together,
particularly in Asia. Tourism in both directions is an obvious area.
He’ll get his business chamber to organise a visit to Singapore and
promises to come himself in the near future.
