PM to attend SADC in Singapore next month

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe is to attend the third South Asian Diaspora Convention next month. The Straits Times reported.

The role of Islam in South Asia, China’s relationship with the sub-continent and the impact of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) are among the issues to be discussed at the third convention.

Organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), it will be held on July 18 and July 19 at Raffles City Convention Centre.

More than 1,000 participants are expected to attend, institute Chairman Gopinath Pillai said.

Pillai said ISAS has hitherto been studying contemporary South Asia, but two factors concerning the region need to be examined further: the growth of Islam and China’s influence as a rising power.

The reason for the first: in 30 years, India will have the largest Muslim population; and in another 30 years, South Asia will hold the biggest bloc of Muslims in the world.

Other Singapore ministers who will attend the two-day conference include Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S. Iswaran.

- Straits Times
-Agencies