Special Envoy of the Prime Minister Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman's National Statement on SIDS in Antigua & Barbuda, 27 May 2024

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Education and for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman delivered Singapore’s national statement as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) on 27 May 2024 (Antigua Standard Time).

Minister Maliki welcomed the adoption of the Antigua & Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, which identifies challenges facing small island developing states and calls on the international community to support SIDS’ efforts to address these issues. He also highlighted the need for SIDS to work together on climate change, digitalisation, and other global challenges. Minister Maliki announced Singapore’s new technical assistance package, “SIDS of Change”, which aims to better equip SIDS to implement the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS to achieve a more resilient and prosperous future. The technical assistance package will include customised courses on blue carbon and digitalisation. The full transcript of the statement is appended.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

28 MAY 2024

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NATIONAL STATEMENT BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMANAT THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES,

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA,

27 MAY 2024

Thank you, Mr President.

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1               First, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the people of Papua New Guinea for the tragic loss of lives and injuries arising from the deadly landslide.

2               Ten years ago, we adopted the SAMOA Pathway, a programme of action for SIDS to address multifaceted challenges. I am glad to see that SIDS have since made strides in their development. The 2022 UN Secretary-General’s Report on the Follow-up to and Implementation of the SAMOA Pathway showed that most SIDS are progressing in sustainable energy, food security and nutrition, gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as water and sanitation.

3               But our work is far from over. Over the last decade, new issues have arisen and the past few years have been particularly challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic, sharpening geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic uncertainty, climate change, and food and energy insecurity have been major threats. New issues such as technology and AI have also emerged, which present both opportunities and challenges. As the SAMOA Pathway draws to a close, we need to refresh our approach and strengthen our partnerships to deal with this new environment and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

4               We therefore strongly welcome the adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, our programme of action for the next decade. This action-oriented document highlights emerging issues that we must collectively address, and which also require strong support from the international community for SIDS. Let me share Singapore’s views on two emerging challenges for SIDS.

5               First, climate change. SIDS are on the frontline of feeling the impacts of climate change. We are increasingly affected by tropical cyclones, storm surges, droughts, and changing precipitation patterns, as documented by the IPCC and which we have all experienced acutely. Last year was the warmest year globally. The IPCC’s forecast of global mean sea-level rise of up to 1.1 metres by 2100 would be a disaster for many of us. Adaptation is clearly an urgent priority for SIDS. Singapore therefore fully supports the ABAS’ call for timely support for action on adaptation, including the operationalisation and implementation of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience. In addition, SIDS must work together to push for a successful COP-29 in Azerbaijan which ensures all countries fulfil their climate pledges to keep the Paris Agreement temperature goal of 1.5°C within reach.

6               Second, digitalisation. Singapore agrees with the ABAS’ recommendation to harness digital technologies to achieve sustainable development. The ITU has reported that internet use in SIDS since 2014 has grown faster than global growth, at an annual growth rate of 8.4 percent. This is encouraging as connectivity is the enabler for digital transformation, which could yield economic benefits. For example, the UNDP projected that the adoption of financial digital public infrastructure can contribute to 20 to 33 percent of economic growth in low- and middle-income countries. Singapore’s experience in adopting mobile banking and digital payment systems such as the Singapore QR code – the world’s first unified national e-payment system – has been a positive one as it allowed us to scale up e-payments and create innovative business opportunities.

7               In the spirit of South-South cooperation, Singapore is contributing our digital solutions for healthcare, electronic verification, and accessibility to the UNDP’s and ITU’s open registries of digital public goods. To reap the full benefits of digitalisation, SIDS should also create an enabling environment to foster innovation, while promoting digital inclusion to ensure that no one is left behind in this digital revolution. To this end, Singapore and the UNDP have been working on a joint challenge where innovative solutions from SIDS on managing coastal risk and transport infrastructure can be showcased and applied.

Mr President,

8               No SIDS can tackle these challenges alone. As a tiny island-state, Singapore understands the unique challenges faced by SIDS. We have benefitted much in learning from other countries during our development journey and are happy to share our experiences. We echo the call in the ABAS to strengthen partnerships for human resource development as this is also reflected in Singapore’s belief that a country’s most valuable asset is its human capital. Singapore has been offering technical assistance packages for SIDS since 1999, in response to the evolving challenges. For example, the Singapore Partnership for the SAMOA Pathway, which we launched in 2019, offered tailor-made programmes including on climate change and disaster risk reduction. I am glad that more than 2,200 officials have participated in this programme. As we prepare for the challenges of the coming decade, I am pleased to announce Singapore’s new technical assistance package for SIDS, which we call “SIDS of Change”. This package includes new customised programmes on emerging issues such as blue carbon and digitalisation. We will also continue to sponsor civil aviation and maritime fellowships for SIDS officials to build up capabilities in these important areas that will enhance our connectivity. We invite all SIDS to participate actively in these programmes.

9               Thank you.

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN AT THE “ACCELERATE IMPLEMENTATION OF SDG 6 IN SIDS – HOW DOES THE UN SYSTEM-WIDE STRATEGY FOR WATER AND SANITATION SUPPORT SIDS?” SIDE-EVENT AT THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

12PM – 1.30PM, 27 MAY 2024

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

A very good afternoon – it is past 12 o’clock.

1 I am deeply honoured to deliver the keynote speech at today’s event on accelerating the implementation of SDG 6 in SIDS. We all know water is a crucial but finite resource and unfortunately, it is coming under greater stress in many SIDS. This is due to our unique circumstances, such as limited land area which restricts the availability of freshwater resources, and the impact of climate change. The 2022 UN Secretary-General’s Report on the Follow-up to and Implementation of the SAMOA Pathway noted that water stress levels have been increasing noticeably for about half of SIDS. Over 70 percent of SIDS face water shortage risks, and this increases to 91 percent for low-lying SIDS.

2 Do allow me to first share Singapore’s experience as a water-scarce SIDS. It was one of the fundamental challenges that we have had to overcome since our independence. As a nation, we had to strategise and innovate in order to secure a sustainable and cost-effective supply of water. When Singapore achieved independence in 1965, about 60 years ago, we had only two sources of water – our local water catchments and imported water imported from our neighbours. These sources are rainfall-dependent, and they also quickly became inadequate to meet our needs as our population and economy grew. So, there was an urgent need to strengthen our water security, including through innovation.

3 Today, Singapore has a robust and diversified water supply from four sources, which we call our “Four National Taps”. In addition to the two which I have mentioned earlier, our Third National Tap is NEWater or recycled water, a high-grade reclaimed water produced through a three-stage process – filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection – using advanced membrane technologies. This treatment process removes contaminants and makes NEWater safe to drink. I can assure you that it is safe to drink. In fact, NEWater is so clean that it is highly sought after by industries requiring high grade water, such as wafer fabrication companies.

4 Our Fourth National Tap is desalination, which enhances our water resilience, especially given the impact of climate change on the quantity and quality of freshwater supply. Desalination technology is not new, but we took several decades to arrive at a cost-viable solution. Our first desalination plant was introduced in 2005, and our fifth and most recent plant was opened in 2022. Desalination is an energy-intensive process and we have had to invest in R&D to reduce the energy intake. We will trial promising technologies to try and further reduce the energy needed to produce one cubic meter of desalinated water from 3.5 kilowatt hours to less than 2 kilowatt hours by 2025. 

5 I wish to start off our discussion today with three takeaways from Singapore’s water journey. First, water supply is only part of the story. Equally important is water conservation and governance. Every drop counts. In Singapore, we price our water to reflect its scarcity, to encourage consumers to use water wisely. Stringent regulations are in place to ensure that waste is properly disposed of and does not contaminate our valuable water resources. Beyond what we can do nationally, countries must go further to reshape the multilateral governance of water to manage the global water cycle as a global common good, to be protected collectively and in the interests of all.

6 Second, technology is an important enabler in increasing water resilience, and improving water and energy efficiency to supplement water conservation efforts. NEWater was a major breakthrough solution that has allowed Singapore to close the water loop by recycling treated water and reusing every drop of water endlessly. We have implemented smart water meters and smart shower devices which can help households reduce water usage by allowing them to closely track usage. Singapore’s largest floating solar photovoltaic system is deployed on an inland reservoir to allow more of our water system to be powered by renewable energy.

7 Third, the water crisis is as much a global one as it is a local crisis. This means that preserving and sustainably managing our water resources must be a collective effort, and we must help each other level up our capabilities. We should forge more international partnerships and collaboration to share expertise, develop innovative solutions, and exchange regulatory best practices on water policies. Singapore organises the biennial Singapore International Water Week to bring together governments, academia, and industry stakeholders to share and co-create innovative water, coastal, and flood solutions. This year’s iteration, to be held next month, is expected to be attended by 500 global water leaders, 2,000 delegates, and more than 30,000 trade visitors, including participants from Fiji and Solomon Islands. We welcome more SIDS to join us at the event. 

Ladies and Gentlemen

8 We need more global water action. In this regard, the UN System-Wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation that is currently being formulated is an important step forward. The Strategy will promote greater coordination and coherence on the global agenda. To move from strategy to action, we must continue to leverage the expertise of the relevant UN bodies, including UN-Water, to ensure concerted and coordinated efforts in tackling the myriad of global water challenges. This strategy must also generate momentum to implement recommendations from the UN 2023 Water Conference. One example is the appointment of a UN Special Envoy on Water, who will play a key role in consolidating global water action and accelerating the implementation of SDG 6.

9 Thank you so much for your attention. I look forward to an engaging discussion with you on this important topic.

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN AT THE “LEVERAGING SIDS KNOWLEDE, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND CAPACITY TO ADVANCE THE DEEP-SEA RESEARCH FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY” SIDE-EVENT AT THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES, ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

4PM – 5.30PM, 27 MAY 2024

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you so much for having me this afternoon.

1 First and foremost, allow me to thank the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for having me here today to deliver this address. Singapore has been a strong proponent of the instruments and institutions that underpin the international rule of law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1994 Implementation Agreement for Part XI of UNCLOS which established the ISA. Besides being a member of the ISA Council since 2015, we are humbled to have played leadership roles in the conclusion of UNCLOS, the constitution for the oceans, in 1982, and the recently adopted Agreement under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction or better known as BBNJ. 

2 As we deepen our understanding of the oceans and build up our ocean economies, we must strike a balance between the sustainable use of our finite marine resources and their conservation for future generations. SIDS cannot achieve these goals alone. A strong multilateral and evidence-based approach to sustainable ocean development is therefore key. So allow me to make two points.

3 First, UNCLOS and the 1994 Implementation Agreement set out the legal framework and obligations for deep seabed mining and its related activities. This creates a stable regulatory environment which is crucial for effective governance of resource-related activities in oceans and seas. These instruments and the rules, regulations, and procedures or RRPs developed by the ISA have already proven to be effective in governing resource-related activities, including exploration activities, many of which are sponsored by SIDS. The final piece of the Mining Code, which the ISA Council is now developing, will provide regulatory certainty for exploitation activities and facilitate the commercial development of the deep seabed mining industry. We will continue to work with the ISA to develop RRPs that balance the need for commercial viability of mining activities with the need to monitor, to address, and to mitigate environmental impacts that are a consequence of mining activities.

4 Further, the BBNJ Agreement, which was adopted by consensus last June, was the culmination of the efforts of many parties who are committed to the protection of the biodiversity of our high seas and deep seabed. The Agreement provides for equitable sharing of the benefits arising from marine scientific research on marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and has the capacity-building provisions to ensure that developing States can fully implement and benefit from the Agreement. 

5 I am thus very pleased to note that SIDS are leading the way in driving the Agreement towards its entry into force. Of the five ratifications of the BBNJ Agreement to date, three are from SIDS – Belize, Palau, and Seychelles. Singapore signed the Agreement in September 2023 and intends to ratify it as soon as possible.  We also chaired the negotiations on and tabled the recently adopted resolution to establish a preparatory commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement and its first Conference of the Parties. We look forward to participating in the preparatory commission and the Agreement’s early entry into force.

6 Second, SIDS are in a unique position to share traditional and local knowledge and practices which play important roles in ocean research, monitoring, and management. For example, Singapore’s tertiary education institutes, such as the Tropical Marine Science Institute, Centre for Nature Based Climate Solutions, and The Earth Observatory Singapore have conducted important deep-sea research on marine conservation and sustainable ocean development to support multilateral and evidence-based approaches. Singapore welcomes partnerships with SIDS, such as in capacity building in marine science and technology, to cultivate deep-sea literacy for our shared benefit. 

7 Our pursuit of deep-sea research is also deeply intertwined with the work of the ISA. Last year, we signed the Global Call to Action for Accelerating Sustainable Development through Deep-Sea Research, Technology, and Innovation. Such initiatives help us make more informed decisions grounded in science on the appropriate safeguards to put in place to ensure that any exploitation activity, if and when allowed, is done with the effective protection of the marine environment. I encourage SIDS to leverage the ISA’s many initiatives to advance scientific, environmental, and technological knowledge, and also to advance research on various aspects of seabed exploration and the deep seabed environment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

8 As SIDS, the oceans are our lifeblood and bind us together. It is imperative that we work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. I look forward to constructive discussions later amongst you all. Thank you very much.

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INTERVENTION BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN AT THE INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE ON “LEVERAGING DATA AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND BUILDING EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS FOR A RESILIENT FUTURE IN SIDS” AT THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES, 

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

4PM – 6PM, 29 MAY 2024

Thank you very much, Madam Co-Chair.

1 According to the ITU, two thirds of the SIDS population are now online, compared to a third when we met in Samoa in 2014. As SIDS digitalise, I would like to expand on four crucial aspects of this trend for SIDS.

2 First, connection. Digital public infrastructure or DPIs can be a foundation to help small economies grow, complement education, and widen access to critical government services. The UNDP and ITU maintain open registries of DPIs that countries can use and adapt to their needs. Singapore has contributed to these global libraries such as through OpenAttestation, which is an open-source framework to simplify the endorsement and verification of documents using Blockchain. 

3 Second, inclusion.  Besides focusing on the “hardware”, we must also enable the “software” of equipping people, small businesses, and policymakers to fully reap the advantages of digitalisation. Singapore’s new technical assistance package for SIDS, known as “SIDS of Change”, seeks to enable fellow SIDS to better harness the transformative potential of data and digital technologies. 

4 Third, trust. A digital ecosystem can only grow when it is underpinned by trust. It is important to ensure that vulnerable communities can transact safely and confidently online. Last year, Singapore passed an Online Criminal Harms Act to restrict the exposure of internet users to malicious cyber activities such as scams. It is only through a comprehensive framework of standards and safeguards that we can foster the public confidence necessary for safe and sustainable digital growth.

5 Lastly, international cooperation. We must work on digital technologies as a global community. For small island nations, this means participating fully, equally, and with impact in multilateral conversations surrounding frameworks such as the Global Digital Compact. Singapore launched the Digital Forum of Small States initiative in 2022 to support small States in building up our institutional capacities to do so, and to collectively shape discussions that affect our future.

6 To conclude, I encourage fellow small island nations to heed the call of the ABAS to harness digital technologies to achieve sustainable development.

7 Thank you.

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INTERVENTION BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN AT THE “SIDS LEADERSHIP IN THE RACE FOR RATIFICATION – ACTION TO PROTECT MARINE BIODIVERSITY IN AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION” SIDE-EVENT AT THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES, 

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

8AM – 9.30AM, 30 MAY 2024

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1 It is really heartening to see SIDS leading the way on the ratification and early entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement. 24 SIDS, including Singapore, have signed the BBNJ Agreement. Singapore is indeed very honoured to join our fellow SIDS in supporting efforts towards achieving this goal ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.

2 The shared urgency amongst SIDS to have the BBNJ enter into force very soon speaks to the unique vulnerabilities we face as low-lying island states.  Sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, and changes to the marine environment have a disproportionate effect on us. The oceans enable global trade and communications, play a critical role in climate systems, and are significant reservoirs of marine biodiversity. This is why the BBNJ Agreement is important as it will establish a cooperative framework for accessing and safeguarding biodiversity in the high seas, which covers nearly two-thirds of the ocean. 

3 Singapore is a strong proponent of the BBNJ Agreement. We are honoured that a Singaporean, our Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee, presided over the negotiations for the Agreement. Its adoption last June was a milestone achievement which recognises the fact that our global commons must be managed collectively and in a coordinated manner. However, for the Agreement to have a tangible impact on the global commons, we must work towards its early entry into force. The Agreement provides for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from activities with respect to marine genetic resources and digital sequence information on marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Therefore, capacity-building will also be a priority under the Agreement, to ensure that developing States can fully implement and benefit from it. 

4 To date, as we heard earlier, three of five ratifications of the BBNJ Agreement are from SIDS countries – I congratulate Belize, Palau, and Seychelles. From what we have heard today, I have no doubt that we will see many more SIDS ratify the Agreement in due course. Singapore signed the Agreement in September 2023 and we are working towards ratifying it as soon as possible. Singapore also chaired negotiations on and tabled the recently adopted UNGA resolution that established a preparatory commission to prepare for the entry into force of the Agreement and its first Conference of the Parties.  We look forward to participating in the preparatory commission and stand ready to work with our fellow SIDS to steer the Agreement towards its entry into force.

5 Thank you. 

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