Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan delivered Singapore’s national statement at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 25 September 2021.
Minister Balakrishnan underscored that multilateral cooperation is essential to overcoming the challenges of our global commons. He outlined four key areas which require urgent action – public health, climate change, oceans, and digital transformation. On COVID-19, Minister Balakrishnan emphasised that expanding access to vaccines by scaling up production and distribution is an immediate priority. On climate change, Minister Balakrishnan underscored the need for a sustained and ambitious global response to the global threat, and looked forward to substantive outcomes at the upcoming 26th Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow in November 2021.
On the oceans, Minister Balakrishnan noted that next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and it is an opportunity to reaffirm Parties’ commitment to UNCLOS as the primary legal instrument for oceans governance. On the digital revolution, Minister Balakrishnan spoke of the need to enhance multilateral cooperation to leverage digital technologies for sustainable development, and close the digital divide. He highlighted the need for a global framework to maximise the opportunities and address the challenges posed by digital transformation, and a global digital architecture that is open, inclusive, inter-operable, and multi-stakeholder. Singapore will support efforts by the UN to advance efforts in this respect.
Minister Balakrishnan also announced the launch of a technical assistance package called “FOSS for Good” to mark the 30th anniversary of the Forum of Small States (FOSS), which Singapore established in 1992. The programme will commence in 2022, and it will provide an avenue for Singapore to support the unique development priorities of FOSS Member States.
The transcript of Minister Balakrishnan’s national statement is at Annex.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Singapore