Singapore - Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a pact on Wednesday to strengthen collaboration in sustainable development and water research.

Yacoob Ibrahim, Singapore's minister for the environment, and his UAE counterpart Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad inked the pact at a forum held in conjunction with international water week in the city-state.

Both sides "have agreed to collaborate in environmental protection and sustainable development, water research ... capacity building and raising environmental awareness," a government statement said.

A joint working committee will be set up to look into specific projects and report to ministers at least once a year on progress, it said. (dpa)