Official business: PM Wong is in Doha, President Tharman in Stockholm, Ong Ye Kung in Manila, & House Speaker Seah Kian Peng is in Strasbourg

Singapore's top officials are currently away for official duties simultaneously. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong departed for Doha on Sunday for his inaugural state visit to Qatar, invited by the Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. He will co-chair the ninth Qatar-Singapore High-Level Joint Committee, aimed at bolstering ties between the two nations.

In a social media post on Oct 19, Mr Wong highlighted the challenging global situation and emphasized the importance of diplomacy with the leadership of Qatar, aiming towards peace and stability. Following his Doha trip, Prime Minister Wong will visit the United Arab Emirates from Oct 20 to 22, with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong acting as Prime Minister in his absence.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is in Stockholm, Sweden, from Oct 17 to 21 at the invitation of King Carl XVI Gustaf. As a respected economist, the President will present a lecture at the Stockholm School of Economics. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung is currently in the Philippines until Oct 20, attending the 77th World Health Organization Regional Committee Meeting for the Western Pacific Region. He shared a photo of Manila Bay's sunset after his arrival on Sunday.

The Speaker of the Parliament, Seah Kian Peng, led a parliamentary delegation, including Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh, on a visit to France and Italy from Oct 18 to 23. They will meet the President of the European Parliament and EU officials in Strasbourg, France, before proceeding to Rome and Vatican City. Other officials, such as Ministers Vivian Balakrishnan, Tan See Leng, Masagos Zulkifli, and Foo Cexiang, have accompanied Prime Minister Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam during their respective trips.