26 Nov 2018
Mr President,
1 Thank you for convening this important debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organisations. The activities and achievements outlined in the report illustrate the depth and breadth of cooperation that the United Nations has with its partners.
2 The global landscape today is uncertain and evolving at a rapid pace. Many of the challenges we face are no longer neatly confined within geographical boundaries. Terrorism, cybercrime, climate change; these are just some examples of complex issues that are transboundary in nature. The UN cannot deal with these contemporary threats alone. Regional and other organisations must be meaningfully engaged, to complement the work of the UN in addressing these issues. Given their specialised knowledge, functional expertise and holistic understanding of regional contexts, these organisations will be able to enhance the work of the UN in a manner which takes into account the specific circumstances and needs of each Member State.
3 Singapore therefore welcomes the resolutions on cooperation between the UN and regional and other organisations that have been tabled. These resolutions are testament to the broad outreach and deep engagement between the UN and these organisations. Critically, the resolutions demonstrate the UN’s interest in further collaboration with these organisations. Singapore’s view is that the UN’s network of partnerships should be deepened and expanded. In addition, cooperation and synergies between the different regional organisations should be strengthened. To this end, we welcome the interactive dialogue sessions between the UN Secretary-General and heads of regional organisations, as a concrete way to promote understanding of each region’s unique circumstances.
Mr President,
4 Singapore would like to highlight our co-sponsorship of the resolution on cooperation between the UN and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), which was first tabled and adopted two years ago at the 71st UNGA. Important and timely updates have been made to the resolution to reflect present realities and the nature of constantly evolving threats, for example, through the prevention and disruption of foreign terrorist fighter travel and countering the use of information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes. It also highlights INTERPOL’s capabilities which Member States can leverage on, such as the Stolen and Lost Travel Document Database. Tackling such threats requires greater cooperation between UN Member States and INTERPOL and this resolution calls for exactly just that.
5 Since its establishment in 1923, INTERPOL has played a critical role in international law enforcement. Singapore is proud to play our part in this endeavour. We have been a member of INTERPOL since 1968; and are host to the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation which was established in 2015. The Complex aids in the identification of crimes and criminals using advanced tools and capabilities, and also provides capacity training and operational support.
Mr President,
6 As the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, Singapore, on behalf of ASEAN, will be tabling a resolution on cooperation between the UN and ASEAN. We look forward to the support of the international community for the resolution.
7 The need for greater engagement of regional and other organisations is more pressing due to mounting concerns about the utility of multilateralism and the propensity to resort to unilateral solutions. Strengthening the symbiotic relationship between the UN and regional organisations will send a strong signal that greater cooperation, greater engagement and greater trust, are the way forward in overcoming these challenges.
8 Thank you.
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