YouSaid · the spoken record

Vivian Balakrishnan

lines on the record: 95
first: 2016-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The Summit of the Future next year will be a crucial milestone in terms of repositioning the United Nations and the multilateral system for our future. This Summit is also an opportunity to further accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Singapore will work closely with all Member States and contribute constructively to that process. We call on all delegations everywhere to take a pragmatic and action-oriented approach to the Summit. It is not too late for us to work together to build a better, safer and fairer world for all countries and especially for our future generations.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We need to bring the same constructive spirit to other areas of the global commons — AI. cybersecurity, digital technology and even outer space. We do not lack policy ideas on strengthening multilateralism, but we need commitment and action. The High-level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism has put forward six transformational shifts that will make the United Nations and the multilateral system future-ready. For many small States, our survival and our very success require a strong United Nations and an effective multilateral system founded on the Charter of the United Nations and international law. and complied with by all States in the world. The Forum of Small States, chaired by Singapore, will continue to work with all States, large and small, to make the United Nations stronger and ready for the future.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“as shown, in fact, by the recent adoption of an international legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Singapore is honoured that Ambassador Rena Lee served as the President of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. She worked tirelessly and closely with all delegations to bring that ship safely to harbour. This week. I was proud to sign the BBNJ agreement on behalf of Singapore, which intends to ratify it as soon as possible. We call on all Member States to sign and ratify the BBNJ agreement so that it can enter into force early, and I am glad that, as of today. 81 Member States have signed the BBNJ agreement.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Singapore launched Digital Forum of Small States (Digital FOSS), a platform in which members of the Forum of Small States can learn from one another and mutually support each other in the area of digital technologies. There is no doubt that those technologies are a powerful accelerator for sustainable development in developing countries, and all the more so in small States like mine. But many developing countries and small States will need help to deploy and harness the benefits of those technologies. As the most inclusive and universal body in the world, the United Nations has to be at the centre of our collective efforts to address those global challenges. We can do so.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“which happens to be chaired by Singapore, has made steady progress, and this offers some useful lessons for other areas, including AL Singapore commits to continuing to support all efforts to promote international cooperation and strengthen global rules, norms and principles in the digital domain. We also look forward to the adoption of a global digital compact at the Summit of the Future in 2024. The reality is that many nations are not ready for the wave of digital transformation sweeping our world. We should not forget that even today, more than 2 billion people still have no internet access, and we need to work far harder to bridge that digital divide. As a tiny city-State. Singapore is committed to supporting other small States by raising awareness, sharing experiences and building human capacity everywhere. In 2022.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We therefore must start an inclusive global dialogue, and we must start it at the United Nations. We need to urgently consider the oversight of such systems and the necessary precautions to avoid miscalculations. That is just one of the many facets to consider as we focus our minds on how to harness the potential and manage the risk of AL Singapore welcomes the Secretary-General’s decision to convene a high-level advisory body on Al to explore those critical issues. Singapore is actually optimistic that the United Nations and the multilateral system will be up to the task of establishing norms on those fast-emerging critical technologies. The open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Al will fundamentally disrupt our assumptions on military doctrine and strategic deterrence. For example, the speed at which Al-enabled weapons systems can be almost instantaneously deployed and triggered will dramatically reduce decision times for our leaders. There will be many occasions when humans may not even be in the firing loop — but we will be on the firing line. That would inevitably heighten the risks of unintended conflicts or the escalation of conflicts. During the Cold War. the sense of mutually assured destruction imposed mutual restraint — although we now know that there were in fact several close shaves. That spectre of nuclear escalation has not disappeared. Yet the advent of artificial intelligence in conflict situations has actually increased the risks exponentially.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In the past year, generative AI such as ChatGPT has captured the popular imagination. But we are actually already on the verge of the next stage: AI agents with the ability to negotiate and transact with each other and humans, and often we will not be able to tell the difference. That has profound implications on all our societies, our politics and economies everywhere. And autonomous weapons systems without human fingers on the triggers are already with us — witness the wars around us. As Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening of the General Assembly this week. “Generative artificial intelligence holds much promise, but it may also lead us to cross a Rubicon and into more danger than we can control.” (A/78/ PV.4, p. 5) That is especially so the theatre of war and peace.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The rich diversity of peoples and nations everywhere can in fact lead to a fruitful cross-fertilization of ideas and the development of even more policy options to deal with the many challenges we face. The United Nations is an indispensable platform in which countries can share our experiences in areas from sustainable development to human rights and in which we can learn from one another. The Summit of the Future gives us an opportunity to strengthen the multilateral system by taking into account diverse points of view and building a common framework for our future. Thirdly, in the midst of the digital revolution and especially the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), we must not only prepare for the risks of those technologies but also distribute their benefits more fairly.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“That means that Member States should work constructively and in good faith within the multilateral framework, keeping our enlightened common interests in mind. The need for compromise and mutual understanding is a feature — not a bug — of the multilateral system. And in the light of the planetary challenges we face, there is no winner who can take all. Secondly. Member States should accept and respect the diversity of experiences, systems, concepts and ideas within the multilateral system. This is born out of our rich tapestry of cultures, religions and social norms. We must recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all template for how a country should organize itself. No one has a monopoly on culture or wisdom, and we should resist the arrogant temptation to remake others in our own image.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“First, we should reaffirm our commitment to building a multilateral system that reflects our enlightened long-term interests as a global community. Unfortunately, the world today is marked by even sharper geopolitical rivalry. Free trade is in retreat, and supply chains are being fragmented. That unravels the gains that we have painstakingly made over many decades by competing and contributing to a common global technology stack. We must avoid turning competition into a zero-sum game. Whether we are addressing climate change, outer space or technology standards, it is important for all countries to balance their national interests with the collective long-term interests of our global community.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“and we therefore have to strongly support the United Nations and the indispensable rules-based multilateral system. It provides a stable framework for us to thrive, exercise our autonomy and chart our own future for our own people. I was glad to see the urgent focus on those issues during this year’s high-level week. The Sustainable Development Goals Summit has shown that we have fallen behind our targets. The Climate Ambition Summit, the three high-level meetings on health and the preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Future have helped us to recalibrate the multilateral system. I would like to put forward three principles that should guide our collective efforts to make the multilateral system more resilient and ready for the future.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — in my part of the world — the violent coup in Myanmar has deprived the people of Myanmar of the peace and development that they so need and richly deserve. Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Myanmar. That perfect storm is aggravated by political dysfunction almost everywhere — fractious hyper-polarized domestic politics, disillusionment with globalization and multilateralism and a lack of strategic trust among countries, especially the superpowers. That dysfunction hobbles our ability to deal with planetary crises that go beyond the ability of any single superpower or even blocs of countries to overcome. In fact, all countries need to work together to build coherent and concrete multilateral solutions. Singapore is a tiny, vulnerable and open island city-State.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquakes in Morocco and Türkiye and the floods in Libya. There are looming food and water crises, and if we miss our climate change targets, we will heap even more misery upon ourselves and on future generations. Beyond the devastation caused by pandemics and natural disasters, we have created purely human- made tragedies, as well. The Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rage on. It is a full-frontal assault on the Charter of the United Nations and a flagrant violation of international law. Global food insecurity has been aggravated by the war in Ukraine, as well as by climate change, which will add to inflationary pressures everywhere.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session. We are delighted that a fellow member of the Forum of Small States has been elected to the highest office in the General Assembly. I also thank His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi for his adept stewardship of the seventy-seventh session during a very challenging year. Our world is a troubled place. The coronavirus disease pandemic was a global test of equity, governance and preparedness, but. quite frankly, the world came up short. We are still dealing with its sequelae — in health care and education and the long-term impact on the world economy and global solidarity. Recent natural disasters, in fact, underline our common vulnerability as nations on the same planet. Nature is a force that respects no borders.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“It is in the world’s interest and in our own long-term national interests to set aside our differences, address the challenges of the global commons and harvest the emerging opportunities provided by new technologies. Ultimately, as Member States, we have as much responsibility to each other and to our citizens to work together and to improve, adapt and strengthen the multilateral system that we have so painstakingly built over the past 77 years, so that our people — all people — can lead better, more secure, more peaceful and happier lives.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The consensus adoption of the Working Group’s first annual progress report in July was a welcome sign that multilateralism is alive and well and can still deliver meaningful progress on the global commons, even in these difficult times. In conclusion, this is a moment when multilateralism must be defended and fortified. Our responses to these myriad opportunities and challenges must remain rooted in the foundational tenets of multilateralism, especially including adherence to the United Nations Charter and international law. I remain an optimist in these difficult times and believe that we are actually on the cusp of an era of profound technological breakthroughs, one that will equip humankind with unimaginably powerful new tools.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We need an open and inclusive global framework to harness and optimize the opportunities of digital transformation, while effectively addressing its challenges. A zero- sum, exclusionary and bifurcated approach benefits no one. An erosion of trust and an atmosphere of confrontation will only breed more cyberthreats and malicious cyberactivities. We must also ensure that all States, particularly small States, developing and least developed countries benefit from the digital revolution and are not left further behind. Singapore fully supports the Secretary-General’s proposal for a global digital compact, which has received strong support from Member States. We are honoured that Ambassador Burhan Gafoor serves as Chair of the Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Lastly, we must enhance international cooperation to harness the opportunities of the digital revolution. Digital transformation does not take place in a vacuum. It must be navigated in the context of intersecting issues: geopolitical tensions, technological bifurcation, cybersecurity threats and the digital divide. The world has made significant progress in development by operating on a single, shared technology stack. Interconnectedness and interoperability brought us together, lowered costs and spurred innovation, competition and the cross-fertilisation of ideas. But if we fractured our world and our technology stack, all that good work and the speed of progress and innovation will slow significantly.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“After COVID-19, there will be other pandemics and major health emergencies. In my view, COVID-19 was perhaps a dress rehearsal for a worse pandemic to come. We must be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess and respond to pandemics in a coordinated and effective fashion in the future. We have a collective responsibility to rectify the longstanding underinvestment in pandemic preparedness, amongst other global public goods. Singapore has supported multilateral initiatives to strengthen the global health security system. We will continue to support the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, and we have contributed to the establishment of a financial intermediary fund for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, hosted by the World Bank.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Climate change, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have all exacerbated the threat to our food security. According to a United Nations report, as many as 828 million people were affected by hunger last year; that is 46 million more than in 2020 and 150 million more than in 2019. We must reverse this negative trend. First, we need to ensure that food supply chains remain open and operate smoothly. Secondly, we must pursue innovation and leverage technology to adapt to new challenges — for example, working together to develop climate-resilient food systems, while developing the necessary precautions on food safety. There is much scope for multilateral cooperation on capacity-building and the development of global norms and standards. Next, it is essential to build a more robust global health architecture to protect our future generations.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Singapore’s impact on global emissions is infinitely small, but we take our climate action obligations very seriously. We have just raised our climate ambition to achieve net zero emissions by or around mid-century. A comprehensive strategy to green our economy is taking shape, and we will raise carbon taxes progressively from 2024. We will do our part to build a comprehensive green finance ecosystem and facilitate the regional journey to net zero. We are supporting industry efforts to build the infrastructure for a voluntary carbon credit market in Asia. We are also building capabilities in environmental risk management in the financial sector and providing grants to defray the costs of green and sustainability- linked loans and bonds. An adjacent issue is food insecurity.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We need a sustained and ambitious global response. The continued commitment of all countries to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Glasgow Climate Pact is absolutely critical. We also need to step up cooperation in the transition to net zero. That will, in fact, be the biggest socioeconomic transformation since the industrial revolution. Both will require considerable economic restructuring, technological breakthroughs, investments and behavioural changes. The United Nations-led multilateral system will be key in pulling everyone together to row in the same direction and not leave anyone behind. Singapore, as a small, low-lying and alternative-energy disadvantaged island nation, is especially vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We call on all delegations to expedite the conclusion of a robust and future-proof BBNJ treaty. There is much more we can do to re-energize and transform the United Nations-based multilateral system towards new realities and challenges. I commend the leadership of the Secretary-General in putting forth a bold and ambitious Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) report to do so. Let me focus on just three areas in our global commons where there is an urgent need to build resilience: First is climate change and food insecurity, global health and pandemic preparedness, and digital transformation and cybersecurity. Climate change remains the most pressing challenge confronting humankind today, as we have seen from the more frequent occurrences of extreme weather events and the devastation that they have wrought the world over.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Ultimately, we share one planet. Despite our differences, our destinies are interwoven and no one is safe until all of us are safe. This applies to pandemics; it also applies to climate change, the conservation of the oceans and all our other shared challenges. Singapore will do our part. We are honoured that Ambassador Rena Lee serves as the President of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond areas of national jurisdiction, which is negotiating a treaty under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“If we do not protect these principles, there is no basis for countries, big and small, to cooperate on an equal footing. Small States especially must not allow the world to regress to one where might is right. While the rules-based multilateral system is not perfect, it is by far our best option in addressing transnational challenges and managing the global commons. This was exemplified by the pivotal adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 40 years ago. It brought order and predictability to the governance of our oceans and provided a universal legal framework in which all States can work together. The geopolitical reality today makes it harder to forge consensus on such a framework, but as our experience with COVID-19 has shown, multilateral cooperation is the only way forward.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We now have 108 countries — a majority at the United Nations. We are all proud members. FOSS has always been a champion of the United Nations and rules-based multilateralism. It gives us a collective stake and a voice in the global commons, a means to safeguard our interests, and a system where we have sovereign equality and disputes can be settled peacefully, in accordance with international law. Indeed, the profound importance of multilateralism and international law is precisely why Singapore has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The security and even the existence of Singapore — and indeed many other countries, especially small States — depend on the international community upholding the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Or can we instead strengthen multilateralism and the United Nations to deal with the challenges of the future, uphold and strengthen the rules-based international system, and jointly harness the opportunities offered by new technologies: including digital technology, synthetic biology, customized health care and , of course, renewable energy? If we can do that, we can create a new era of peace and prosperity for everyone. Singapore believes that the only way forward is to uphold the inclusive and rules-based multilateral system that has underwritten peace and progress for all of us since the Second World War. That is also why we worked with a cross-regional group of countries to establish the Forum of Small States (FOSS) in 1992. We started small, with only 16 countries. This year, we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of FOSS.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The impact of all those simultaneous crises on ordinary people and our livelihoods has been severe, all the more so in developing countries. We see this in the devastating impact of the floods in Pakistan and in parts of Africa. The post-Second World War era of relative stability and prosperity has, unfortunately, come to an end. A new world order is being born and, as any obstetrician will tell you, the moment of delivery is actually the most dangerous. Will we have a more divided, less prosperous and less peaceful world?”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Energy prices have soared, and it will become even harder to generate the resources that all of us need to address those long-term problems. Societies everywhere will have to grapple with greater internal division, disruption and polarization. Without that sense of cohesion, unity, trust or even an ability to agree on facts, the will and unity needed for societies to confront those existential challenges will be undermined severely. The climate crisis is a clear and present threat. Our global commons, including water and biodiversity, are also deteriorating rapidly. Our global food supply is at risk. To make things worse, all those threats and crises are occurring concurrently, interacting with and compounding each other in a vicious circle. For instance, the Secretary-General has spoken of a triple crisis of food, fuel and finance.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As we have seen in theatres from Europe to Asia this year, the risks of accident, miscalculation, confrontation and even outright conflict have escalated. The prospects for international cooperation have weakened considerably and the temptation to resort to unilateralism has become even stronger. But the need for concerted global cooperation has never been greater or more urgent, given the range of transnational challenges that all of us are confronting today. Our recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remains uneven and fragile. In fact, the risk of a future and even more deadly pandemic has risen. The global economy is entering a period of higher and prolonged inflation, and we are seeing higher interest rates all over the world.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Let me first congratulate Your Excellency, Mr. Csaba Korosi, on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I also commend my good friend, His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid, for his stalwart leadership of the seventy-sixth session during a most challenging year. This session of the General Assembly is taking place in the shadow of multiple concurrent crises. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine flagrantly violates international law and the Charter of the United Nations and undermines the rules-based order. We are also deeply concerned about the potential annexation of more Ukrainian territory. The multilateral system, which has contributed greatly to global peace and security, is now being severely tested. At the same time, super-Power rivalry continues to sharpen.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In 1992, Singapore established the Forum of Small States — an informal platform for small States to discuss issues of mutual concern. We started with a group of 16 that has now grown to 108 member States. We will celebrate our thirtieth anniversary next year. To mark that milestone, Singapore will launch a new programme entitled “Forum of Small States for Good”, which will commence in 2022 and focus on priority areas such as digital transformation and COVID-19 recovery, customized for the unique challenges faced by small countries. We believe that it is only by working in partnership and helping each other that we can reach a more resilient, more inclusive and more sustainable tomorrow. It is always darkest before the dawn, but the dawn will arrive. There is hope and much work ahead of all of us.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We can do a lot more to improve international data governance and to promote inter-operability, trust, and security when we transact in the digital environment. I have only touched on some of the issues that I believe we need to look at. There are other important issues outlined in the Secretary-General’s road map for digital cooperation (A/74/821). His Our Common Agenda also lays out a way forward on a global digital technology track. The next step is to take action on those proposals. Singapore will support efforts by the United Nations to advance our global conversation so that, together, we can make tangible progress on digital transformation for sustainable development. As we seek to build a more inclusive, sustainable future, we need to give each other a hand. That is especially so for small and developing countries.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We co-lead the World Trade Organization joint statement initiative on electronic commerce with Japan and Australia, which now includes more than 80 member economies and comprises 90 per cent of global trade. Those can serve as building blocks in a larger global architecture. At the broader level, we need determined action to close the digital divide, not only within nations but also between nations. There is already much work being done, but we need to give those efforts a stronger push through education, training and improving the digital skills and literacy of our people across the board; investing in infrastructure for universal and affordable internet connectivity; and expanding access to data and digital public goods, including open-source software and digital utilities.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Secondly, digital transformation needs to be people-focused, and it must improve people’s daily lives. Thirdly, we need to involve all relevant stakeholders, including Government, the private sector and civil society, because it is no longer possible, in today’s digital world, to neatly draw lines between Government, industry and citizens. Fourthly, we need to think digital, which means thinking in an integrated, multidisciplinary, multisectoral way. The complex problems of today and tomorrow require innovative solutions. Fifthly, we need concrete action through the identification of a common set of digital development goals and a framework for multilateral cooperation. At the national level, Singapore is already building partnerships with many countries. We have concluded digital economy agreements with several of our partners.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“How can we enhance multilateral cooperation to leverage digital technologies for sustainable development? There are many paths we can take, whether the Secretary- General’s proposal for a global digital compact or perhaps a new United Nations convention on digital transformation for sustainable development, or indeed a framework of norms and principles. I shall leave those options on the table to be part of a conversation that we all need to have at the global level. As a tiny country and a vital node in the international digital network, Singapore has always advocated a global architecture that is open, inclusive, inter-operable and multi-stakeholder. Such a global digital architecture must be shaped by a few guiding principles. First, the voices of small States must be heard and our concerns taken into account.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“That is why digitalization poses a global challenge that requires a concerted global response. There are many questions related to this transformation. How can we provide fair and secure access to digital data so that the data is not monopolized by the few, leaving the vast majority digitally disenfranchised? How can we encourage a freer flow of data across the world in order to promote innovation and inclusive sustainable development? Can we find ways to address the pandemic of misinformation, which sometimes, arguably, has been worse than the pandemic itself? There are no easy, ready answers, but we clearly need to have a conversation about a global framework to maximize those opportunities and deal with the challenges posed by the digital revolution. The goal is both simple and singular.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Digital technologies have empowered millions of people, but the gulf of opportunities between digital haves and digital have-nots has actually widened. Today 3.8 billion people remain digitally disconnected. The digital divide has prevented access to education, health care and many other essential services to millions of people around the world. Digital transformation is not just about new technologies or new hardware. Fundamentally, it must be about improving lives and empowering people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. It is about strengthening the resilience of our societies and economies. In a nutshell, digital transformation should be about sustainable development. To put it differently, if we do not close the digital divide, we will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Singapore also firmly believes in the importance of conserving and ensuring the sustainability of our marine environment. We therefore look forward to the fourth session next year of the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction and to the second United Nations Ocean Conference, to be co-hosted by Kenya and Portugal next year. Fourthly, we need urgent multilateral action with regard to the digital revolution and its impact on sustainable development. The digital revolution was well under way before COVID-19 erupted, but the pandemic has accelerated the pace and scale of this ongoing revolution.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“As a tiny island-State at the confluence of key global shipping routes that is heavily dependent on maritime trade, Singapore is an ardent advocate for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — the foundation for rules-based governance of the oceans in all aspects. It sets the rules for maritime entitlements and provides the overarching framework for the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes. It is fundamental for maintaining open trade routes and sea lines of communication. The fortieth anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS next year will be an opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment to UNCLOS as the primary legal instrument for oceans governance and to do more to ensure its effective implementation.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are also committed to working with our partners in new areas, including green finance and clean energy solutions, and we look forward to substantive outcomes at the upcoming twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Glasgow. Thirdly, our oceans are in urgent need of multilateral action. The oceans sustain our global ecosystem; they are a repository of biodiversity and a buffer for climate change. They are also a critical artery for trade and a source of jobs and livelihoods for billions of people.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“No country acting alone can move the needle. But if we work together, we can make a substantial impact. If we fail, the consequences will be calamitous for every country and for all humankind. Singapore has always been a strong advocate of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, from the very beginning. Last year, even while battling the pandemic, we submitted our enhanced 2030 nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement and our longterm low-emissions development strategy for 2050 and beyond. This year we unveiled the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which outlines a whole-of-nation approach to sustainable development and charts ambitious, concrete targets over the next 10 years. Among other things, we will plant 1 million more trees on our tiny island, quadruple solar energy deployments and reduce waste sent to landfills.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Secondly, we need a sustained and ambitious global response to address climate change. The effects of climate change are deeply felt at a local level, but the solution will depend on a collective response at the global level. For a small island city-State like Singapore, climate change remains a clear and present danger. Recent extreme weather events are stark reminders that we do not have time to lose. The landmark Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that global temperatures are likely to rise above 1.5°C within the next two decades, and we are likely to see more intense rainfall, flooding and droughts, loss of sea ice and rising sea levels. The fight against climate change will be a stark litmus test of our ability to manage the global commons through multilateral action.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We will continue to support the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and will donate our vaccines, under the COVAX initiative, to other countries with greater needs. We have continued to help our friends and neighbours when possible, through other contributions of medical supplies, oxygen and equipment. As a trans-shipment hub, Singapore has always played its part to keep essential supplies moving to where they are needed most. In the longer term, we need to take forward the recommendations of the Group of Twenty High Level Independent Panel to address the major gaps in preparedness for future pandemics. We must also strengthen multilateral support for the World Health Organization and the United Nations and to mobilize resources for our collective security, because no one is safe until everyone is safe.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“I want to welcome and commend the leadership of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres — not only for his achievements over the past term but in putting forth a bold and visionary Our Common Agenda to reposition and adapt the United Nations for the future. In particular, I welcome his proposal for a summit of the future in order to forge a global consensus. Today I wish to highlight four key areas that require our urgent attention: public health, climate change, the oceans and the digital revolution. First, the fight against COVID-19 is far from over. Access to vaccines remains the biggest problem faced by many countries. Our immediate priority must be to redouble efforts to expand access to vaccines by scaling up production and distribution. Singapore is a strong supporter of vaccine multilateralism.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Let me start by congratulating His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. I also thank His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir for his leadership of the seventy- fifth session during an unprecedented and difficult year. The most important lesson from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is that multilateral cooperation is absolutely essential to overcome the challenges of our global commons and that only coordinated international action can lead us to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery. That is precisely why the role of the United Nations is so crucial, especially for small and developing countries. The United Nations must empower countries to deal with the challenges of managing our global commons in order to build a more resilient future.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“As States Members of the United Nations, each of us has a responsibility to work together and to improve and adapt the multilateral systems that we have built painstakingly over the past seven decades. We need to find solutions and build consensus, so that our people can lead better, more secure and more peaceful lives. Ultimately, a rules- based multilateral system is absolutely indispensable to our efforts to secure peace and prosperity for our people at home on this one planet that we call Earth.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“This year, Singapore was able to make a small contribution towards easing tensions by hosting the summit between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea leaders in June. That summit, as well as the three inter-Korean dialogues that have been held this year, are important steps towards the achievement of lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. Singapore hopes that dialogue and the associated efforts and the reservoir of trust that has been built up will bring peace ultimately to that troubled part of Asia. Let me conclude by saying that there is no doubt that multilateralism needs to be defended and that the United Nations itself needs to be strengthened. That is the only way we can deal with the complex global challenges of the future.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We expect the Independent Commission of Inquiry established by the Government of Myanmar to carry out impartial investigations expeditiously and to hold those responsible fully accountable. We also hope that the voluntary return of refugees to Myanmar in a safe, secure and dignified manner will commence soon without undue delay. However, ultimately, a political solution needs to be found — a solution and process that involves reconciliation, fairness, justice and better prospects for all communities. Only then can we achieve a durable solution to that complex, long-standing problem. All members of ASEAN stand ready to support and assist Myanmar in that very challenging and difficult situation. We have also been watching the developments on the Korean peninsula, which is not far from our region.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)