Russian Int'l Humanitarian Cooperation Agency Delays Opening of Center in Singapore - Head

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th August, 2020) Russia had to delay the opening of a center for science and culture in Singapore and now plans to launch it after 2021, Yevgeny Primakov, the new head of Rossotrudnichestvo, a Russian state agency responsible for the promotion of international humanitarian cooperation, told Sputnik an in an interview.

Last year, Eleonora Mitrofanova, the former head of Rossotrudnichestvo, told Sputnik that the agency planned to open a center in Singapore by late 2021.

"This is a very ambitious project in Singapore. There is a decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin that it needs to be done and the funds have been allocated, but now there are quarantine, COVID-19 and budget restrictions.

I'm afraid that we will not be able to do it in 2021 as now it is all in the stage of design and estimate documentation, which should be approved here since the project was designed by a Singapore company," Primakov said.

The Russian Orthodox Church in Singapore is helping Rossotrudnichestvo in the creation of this center, the official noted.

Rossotrudnichestvo also signed an agreement this month on cooperation with the Russia-Singapore business Council (RSBC). Under the accord, the sides will work on joint projects designed to popularize the Russian language and culture abroad.