One of the most influential and respected women in the world , US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, visited SMU to deliver a keynote speech on international trade on 17 November 2012. 

The event was attended by US Ambassador to Singapore Mr David Adelman, Singapore’s Minister for Education Mr Heng Swee Keat, Singapore Minister of State Ms Josephine Teo, Speaker of Parliament Mr Michael Palmer, SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping and SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer. Also in the audience of more than 300 people were ministers, ambassadors, government and business leaders, members of SMU’s Board of Trustees; academics and students. The event was also streamed live to the world on the US State Department’s website.

In his welcome address, President De Meyer pointed out that Secretary Clinton’s liberal arts and legal education, as well as her strong advocacy in promoting quality education and empowering young women, resonate with SMU’s mission and mandate. He also praised the smooth and efficient collaboration between the teams of the co-hosts – the US Embassy, American Chamber of Commerce, US Asean Business Council and SMU – in organising the event.

Before introducing Secretary Clinton, Ambassador Adelman also thanked the entire SMU community for co-sponsoring and co-hosting the event and “for many years of partnership with the US Embassy in Singapore”.

In her speech, entitled “Delivering on the Promise of Economic Statecraft”, Secretary Clinton said the US was moving economics to the centre of its foreign policy as it moves to secure its position as a world leader. She added that military might was no longer the key factor in being a global power, and the growth of a country's GDP was becoming increasingly important. Towards the end of the 30-minute address, she remarked that “Many of the questions that I’ve discussed today about the relationship between strategic and economic issues deserve deeper study – perhaps, President De Meyer, by this institution”.

[Top: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking at SMU’s Mochtar Riady Auditorium on 17 November 2012.]

[Bottom: Secretary Clinton greeting VIPs in the audience after delivering her speech. Behind her are SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer (left) and US Ambassador to Singapore Mr David Adelman (right).]