Speech by Minister In the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Education Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman during the Committee of Supply Debates, 29 February 2024

1 Tuan Pengerusi.

[English Translation: Mr Chairman]

Israel – Hamas

2 Persengketaan di Gaza amat meremuk jiwa. Setiap hari, kita dihujani dengan berita serta gambar-gambar yang amat menyedihkan di kaca TV mahupun di media sosial yang menunjukkan keganasan yang dilakukan ke atas nyawa yang tidak berdosa, termasuk golongan warga tua, bayi, dan kanak-kanak. Kehancuran dan bencana kemanusiaan yang tidak terhenti-henti sangat menyayat hati. Rasa pilu dan resah yang kita alami merupakan sifat fitrah yang mendorong kita untuk mahu terus melindungi golongan yang tertindas. Sebagai insan yang bersemangat perikemanusiaan dan mempunyai belas ihsan, kita menolak segala bentuk kezaliman dan kekejaman. Bak kata pepatah – berat mata memandang, berat lagi bahu memikul.

[English Translation: The conflict in Gaza is heart-breaking. Every day, we are inundated with news and photos on TV as well as social media portraying the violence committed upon innocent lives, including the elderly, babies, and children. The relentless destruction and humanitarian catastrophe is heart-wrenching. The sadness and anxiety that we experience are part of our natural disposition as human beings who are driven to protect the vulnerable amongst us. As people with humanity and compassion, we reject all forms of injustice and cruelty. As difficult it is for the eyes that see, it is even heavier for the shoulders that carry.]

3 Tindak balas ketenteraan Israel di Gaza telah melampaui batas. Kita juga prihatin terhadap kemungkinan serangan darat di Rafah yang akan memburukkan lagi keadaan ini. Singapura telah membuat kenyataan tentang pendirian kita terhadap persengketaan ini dengan jelas. Kita telah mengundi untuk menyokong dua resolusi Perhimpunan Agung Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) pada Oktober dan Disember tahun lalu. Resolusi-resolusi tersebut telah mengutuk serangan terhadap orang awam dan menuntut supaya semua pihak mematuhi kewajiban mereka di bawah undang-undang antarabangsa, termasuk undang-undang kemanusiaan antarabangsa. Singapura juga telah menggesa gencatan senjata kemanusiaan supaya bantuan boleh disalurkan kepada orang awam di Gaza. Di sidang Menteri-Menteri Luar G20 di Brazil baru-baru ini, saya menekankan sekali lagi pendirian tegas negara kita. Israel perlu meningkatkan usaha untuk melindungi keselamatan dan keamanan orang awam yang kehilangan tempat tinggal. Hamas perlu membebaskan semua tebusan awam tanpa syarat dan dengan selamat.

[English Translation: Israel’s military response has gone too far. We are also concerned that a potential ground offensive into Rafah will worsen the situation. Singapore has clearly stated our position towards this conflict. This includes our votes in favour of two UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions last October and December. The resolutions have condemned the attacks against all civilians and demanded that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. Singapore has also called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, so that assistance can be effectively rendered to all affected civilians. At the recent G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil, I stressed our country’s firm position again. Israel must step up to protect the safety and security of displaced civilians. Hamas needs to release all civilian hostages unconditionally and safely.]

4 Kita tahu persengketaan ini bukan satu perkara yang mudah untuk di selesaikan. Ia amat rumit dan telah berlarutan berdekad-dekad lamanya. Ia bukan sesuatu yang bermula pada 7 October. Untuk mencapai penyelesaian damai yang berpanjangan, Singapura percaya apa yang diperlukan ialah penyelesaian dua negara yang konsisten dengan resolusi-resolusi Majlis Keselamatan PBB yang relevan dengan isu ini. Kita telah menyuarakan pendirian berprinsip ini di arena antarabangsa serta menerusi cara kita mengundi di Perhimpunan Agung PBB sejak 1967. Misalnya, kita telah mengundi untuk menyokong setiap resolusi yang menyeru Israel untuk membatalkan semua langkah-langkah satu halanya (unilateral) yang bertujuan menukar kedudukan Baitulmaqdis. Kita juga telah menentang penempatan Israel di Tebing Barat yang merupakan pelanggaran undang-undang antarabangsa. Penyelesaian dua negara merupakan satu-satunya cara untuk menghentikan kitaran keganasan ini, dan Singapura akan melakukan apa yang kita mampu untuk menjadikannya satu realiti.

[English Translation: We know that this conflict is not an easy one to solve. It is a complex one that has dragged on for many years. It did not start on 7 October. To achieve a lasting peace settlement, Singapore firmly believes that a two-state solution consistent with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions is needed. We have communicated this principled position on the international stage and through our voting record at the UNGA since 1967. For example, we have voted in support of every UN resolution that calls on Israel to rescind all unilateral measures to change the status of Jerusalem. We also opposed Israeli settlements in the West Bank which are a violation of international law. A two-state solution is the only way to stop the cycle of violence, and Singapore will do what we can to realise it.]

5 Sebagai rakyat Singapura, kita tahu bahawa persengketaan ini bukan berdasarkan agama. Ia adalah persengketaan berdasarkan pertikaian tanah wilayah yang telah berterusan selama beberapa abad. Namun, isu ini mempunyai kesan yang lebih mendalam untuk umat Islam di merata dunia, termasuk masyarakat Islam di Singapura. Pemerintah faham dan prihatin terhadap perasaan masyarakat Melayu/Islam Singapura dalam hal ini dan akur wujudnya tiga ikatan. Pertama, ikatan ukhuwah umat Islam kita dengan penduduk Islam di Palestin. Kedua, ikatan terhadap kedudukan Masjid Al-Aqsa yang merupakan Masjid ketiga terpenting bagi umat Islam. Dan ketiga, ikatan kemanusiaan. Oleh itu, pemimpin-pemimpin agama kita telah memberi panduan dan ruang untuk masyarakat kita meluahkan segala emosi yang dirasai seperti kemarahan, keperitan dan simpati terhadap penderitaan yang dialami mereka yang tidak berdosa serta harapan untuk persefahaman dan perdamaian antara Israel dan Palestin dengan cara yang memperjuangkan keamanan, dan bukan kemusnahan. Sebagai contoh, Pejabat Mufti telah mengeluarkan irsyad yang mengandungi nasihat mengenai pandangan Islam terhadap keganasan dan reaksi kita sebagai orang yang beriman. Ini selaras dengan visi kita untuk membina dan memperkuatkan Identiti Muslim Singapura.

[English Translation: As Singaporeans, we know that this is not a religious conflict. It is a struggle for territorial land that dates back centuries. However, this issue has a deeper impact on Muslims around the world, including the Muslim community in Singapore. The Government understands that our community has specific ties towards this issue. First, the ties of kinship between our Muslim population and the Muslim population in Palestine. Second, our ties towards the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third most important mosque for Muslims. Third, our ties of humanity. Therefore, our religious leaders have given guidance and space for our community to express all emotions such as anger, pain and sympathy towards the suffering experienced by innocent victims, as well as hope for understanding and reconciliation between Israel and Palestine in a way that champions peace, and not destruction. For example, the Office of the Mufti has issued a religious advisory which contains guidance on Islamic views towards violence and our reaction as believers. This is in line with our vision of building and strengthening the Singapore Muslim Identity.]

6 Walau bagaimanapun, ini tidak bermakna hanya masyarakat Islam sahaja yang terkesan tentang apa yang sedang berlaku di Gaza. Ramai rakyat Singapura, tidak kira kaum atau agama, amat bersimpati dengan nasib rakyat Palestin dan keluarga-keluarga para tebusan. Mereka ingin melakukan sesuatu yang berkesan untuk menunjukkan sokongan mereka.

[English Translation: Nevertheless, this does not mean it is only the Muslim community that is affected by the situation in Gaza. Many Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion, deeply sympathise with the plight of the Palestinians and the families of the hostages. They want to show their support in a constructive way.]

7 Pemerintah dan badan-badan masyarakat telah menggembleng tenaga untuk menyalurkan bantuan yang kukuh kepada mangsa-mangsa tragedi ini. Saya terharu melihat rakyat Singapura daripada pelbagai latar belakang berganding bahu untuk memberikan bantuan sehingga hari ini.  Saya ingin memberi jaminan kepada rakyat Singapura bahawa Pemerintah komited untuk meneruskan bantuan kemanusiaan ke Gaza, sama seperti yang telah kita lakukan pada krisis-krisis sebelum ini. Kita terus bekerja keras dan bekerja rapat dengan rakan-rakan di rantau Timur Tengah untuk menyampaikan bantuan tersebut. Pada November lalu, saya telah pergi ke Kaherah untuk menyaksikan penyerahan bantuan pertama kita kepada Gaza. Beberapa minggu kemudian, kita mengerahkan sebuah pesawat RSAF untuk mengangkut bekalan kemanusiaan sebagai sumbangan kedua kita. Menteri Vivian telah mengumumkan bahawa kita akan mendermakan bahagian ketiga bantuan untuk Gaza melalui Jordan tidak lama lagi.Pemerintah dan orang awam telah mengumpul lebih daripada 10 juta dollar Singapura (S$10 juta) untuk menyokong usaha-usaha bantuan di Gaza. Selain daripada bekalan makanan serta ubat-ubatan, kita juga menghantar pasukan perubatan ke Mesir untuk merawat mangsa dari Gaza. Dalam jangka masa yang panjang, kita juga akan terus menyokong usaha membina keupayaan pihak berkuasa Palestin menerusi Pakej Bantuan Teknikal yang Dipertingkat (ETAP) bernilai 10 juta dollar Singapura (S$10 juta).

[English Translation: The Government has been working closely with community organisations to channel our energies towards concrete ways to help the victims of this tragedy. It is heartening to see Singaporeans from all walks of life coming together to provide assistance, even until today. I want to assure Singaporeans that the Government is committed to continuing our humanitarian aid to Gaza, just as we have done in any crisis previously. We are working hard and closely collaborating with our partners in the Middle East to deliver aid. In November last year, I went to Cairo and witnessed the handover of these supplies. Just a few weeks later, we deployed an RSAF aircraft to airlift humanitarian supplies as our second contribution. Minister Vivian has announced that we will soon donate a third tranche of aid for Gaza through Jordan. Between the Government and the public, we have raised more than S$10 million to support relief efforts in Gaza. Apart from food supplies and medicine, we also sent a medical team to Egypt to treat casualties coming from Gaza. In the long term, we will continue our long-standing support for the Palestinian Authority’s capacity building efforts through our S$10 million Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (ETAP).]

8 Dalam kita terus berusaha membantu mangsa-mangsa di Gaza, terdapat segelintir rakyat Singapura yang menyoal mengapa kita tidak boleh mengambil langkah yang lebih tegas terhadap Israel. Misalnya, mereka mahu kita memutuskan hubungan diplomatik dengan Israel. Isu ini berkaitan langsung dengan dasar luar negara kita. Seperti yang diterangkan Menteri Vivian tadi, apapun tindakan yang kita ambil harus berdasarkan kepentingan negara kita sendiri. Sebagai sebuah negara kecil, kita dapat terus kekal relevan di pentas dunia melalui hubungan dengan sebanyak negara dan sejauh mungkin. Memutuskan hubungan diplomatik dengan negara yang bercanggah tingkah laku tidak akan memperbaiki situasi. Ia tidak akan mengubah arus persengketaan ini. Malah banyak negara Timur Tengah seperti Mesir, Emiriah Arab Bersatu dan Jordan yang lebih dekat dan lebih memahami kerumitan konflik ini, juga tidak memutuskan hubungan diplomatik mereka dengan Israel. Tapi yang penting, Tuan Pengerusi, mempunyai hubungan diplomatik tidak bermakna bahawa kita setuju dengan setiap tingkah laku mereka. Kita menyuarakan ketidaksetujuan ini menerusi cara kita mengundi resolusi-resolusi Perhimpunan Agung PBB berkaitan isu Palestin seperti yang saya terangkan tadi.

[English Translation: As we continue to help the victims of Gaza, a small fraction of society has questioned why we cannot take firmer measures against Israel. For example, they want us to sever our diplomatic ties with Israel. This issue relates directly to our foreign policy. As Minister Vivian said, whatever action we take must prioritise our own national interests. As a small state, we remain relevant on the world stage by maintaining ties with as many countries as possible. Breaking ties with those whose actions we disapprove of will not improve the situation. It would not change the tide of this conflict. Even many countries in the Middle East such as Egypt, UAE and Jordan which are closer and more cognisant of the intricacies of this conflict have not severed ties with Israel. But more importantly, Mr Chairman, keeping our ties does not mean that we are condoning their behaviour. We voice this disagreement through our voting record for the UNGA resolutions on the Palestine issue as I explained earlier.]

9 Tuan Pengerusi, kita mahu persengketaan ini berhenti secepat mungkin. Kita juga mahu kedamaian tercapai secepat mungkin supaya rakyat-rakyat kedua pihak dapat terus hidup dalam keadaan selamat dan aman. Tetapi kita akur perjalanan menuju kedamaian bukan mudah. Pada ketika ini, kedua-dua pihak tidak mempercayai antara satu sama lain dan politik dalaman masing-masing juga lebih merumitkan lagi isu ini kerana masing-masing mempunyai pihak yang berpendirian bercanggah.Walaupun ini bukan perbalahan kita, kita telah menggesa kedua-dua pihak untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian dengan niat yang tulus.

[English Translation: Mr Chairman, we want this conflict to end as soon as possible. We also want peace to be achieved as soon as possible so that the people on both sides can continue to live in safe and peaceful conditions. But we acknowledge that the path to peace will not be easy. Currently, there is deep mistrust on both sides and intra-Israeli and intra-Palestinian politics will further complicate the issue as both sides have conflicting positions. While this is not our quarrel, we have called on both sides to make the necessary compromises and commit to finding a solution in good faith.]

10 Dalam masa yang sama, kita harus terus prihatin, supaya apa yang berlaku walaupun jauh, tidak mengancam kestabilan, kerukunan dan keharmonian kaum yang kita alami di Singapura kita.

[English Translation: At the same time, we should continue to ensure that events, even if they occur in distant places, do not threaten the stability and racial harmony that we experience here.]

Maintaining regional ties

11 Mr Chairman, allow me to continue my speech in English.

12 Today’s fragmented world poses serious challenges for small states like us that depend on inclusion, openness, and a rules-based international architecture. But this does not mean that we do not have agency. We do. We can mitigate these concerns by enhancing our already strong ties with our web of partners and friends. This is not something that we are just doing now. This work – of engagement, of making common cause, of forging mutually beneficial partnerships – has been ongoing for years. This is the DNA of MFA.

13 I will first speak about our immediate region. Mr Keith Chua, Mr Don Wee, Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Vikram Nair, and Mr Chong Kee Hiong have asked about our relations with Malaysia and Indonesia. The outlook is positive. Relations with Malaysia are in good shape. At the political level, contact is frequent. Around 30 Malaysian Ministers and senior officials visited Singapore in 2023, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who visited Singapore three times. To deepen mutual understanding and explore new areas of cooperation, our political office holders also engage various state governments, including Penang, Johor, Selangor, Sarawak, and Pahang. I myself visited Kelantan and Terengganu in April 2023.

14 Economic ties are equally robust. Malaysia was one of our top three trading partners last year, with bilateral trade hitting S$123.6 billion. This will increase as we find new ways to enhance cooperation and connectivity. For instance, we signed an MOU on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) last month. By 2026, the new Rapid Transit System Link (RTS) will be operational, facilitating more cross-border interactions. Both the SEZ and RTS are testament to our extensive people-to-people ties.

15 Similarly, our relationship with Indonesia has strengthened. High-level engagements have been regular, with both President Jokowi and Vice-President Ma’ruf Amin visiting in 2023. We continue to build ties at the regional level. I had the chance to visit North Sumatra, Aceh, and the Riau Islands last year, where I met political and religious leaders, businesses, and students.

16 We have worked closely with President Joko Widodo’s administration over the past decade. We signed and ratified the landmark Expanded Framework Agreements, turning the page on a generation of longstanding bilateral issues. We are focussing on new areas of cooperation. For instance, we signed an MOU last year to set up the Singapore-Indonesia Tech:X programme. When launched, the programme will allow young tech professionals from Singapore and Indonesia to work in each other’s countries and gain exposure. We made good progress in food security cooperation, with Singapore importing live chickens from the Riau Islands since May 2023.

17 We thank President Jokowi for his efforts in deepening bilateral ties and we look forward to engaging the incoming administration in the same positive way. There are complementarities between Singapore and Indonesia, so there is still much more that we can do together for mutual benefit. We can continue to explore cooperation at the central and regional levels, in areas like education, human capital development, and emerging sectors like in energy and sustainability.

18 Our special relationship with Brunei continues to grow. At the leadership level, ties are very close. DPM and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong co-led the 9^th Young Leaders’ Programme with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah in Brunei in December 2023. President visited Brunei last month in his first state visit since taking office. In the same month, PM, SM Teo, and Minister Vivian also attended Prince ‘Abdul Mateen’s wedding. We are committed to deepening people-to-people ties through initiatives like the Brunei Darussalam – Singapore Youth Education Scholarship programme and the MOU on Strengthening Civil Service Cooperation.

19 We are celebrating the 40^th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Brunei this year. The 4G leadership remains committed to maintaining this special relationship. We look forward to exploring more ways to advance our cooperation. This includes new and emerging areas like the green economy, renewable energy, food and medical supply chain resilience, and digital connectivity.

20 Mr Wee and Mr Nair asked about our relations with the rest of Southeast Asia. Our ties are on a good footing. We celebrated the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Vietnam last year and are exploring the possibility of upgrading relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of relations with Laos and our 55^th anniversary with the Philippines this year. We are closely engaging the new governments in Cambodia and Thailand, with whom we will be celebrating the 60^th anniversary of relations next year. To Mr Keith Chua’s query on Timor-Leste, we are stepping up our engagement to help support their preparations to join ASEAN, following ASEAN’s adoption of the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s accession in May last year. We have also announced our plans to open a resident Embassy in Timor-Leste.

21 The one concern is Myanmar. As Mr Nair and Mr Dennis Tan have noted, the situation there is grave, and the level of displacement and humanitarian suffering concerning. We will continue to support ASEAN’s efforts to provide humanitarian assistance through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management. ASEAN will continue to address the Myanmar issue in line with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC). It is unfortunate that there has been limited progress in the implementation of the 5PC. But we recognise that the situation in Myanmar is complicated and will take a long time to resolve. Any enduring political solution will have to come from within Myanmar itself. That said, we are committed to working with our partners to facilitate peace and national reconciliation.

ASEAN

22 It is in our interest to have a stable and conducive regional environment to attract businesses and investments. Mr Tan asked how Singapore can uphold regional stability. One way is through our consistent bilateral engagements at the leadership level as the earlier generation of leaders did as well. Several of our neighbours have had recent leadership transitions. But we have good links with many of them over the years and will continue to work closely with them to foster regional stability and prosperity.

23 ASEAN is another platform to do so. ASEAN forms the cornerstone of our open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture. Its success is critical to the success of all its members. Ms Sylvia Lim asked if ASEAN would require reforms or a bigger budget to be a more effective organisation. We will ensure that the ASEAN Secretariat is adequately resourced so that they can fulfil their functions and support the region’s needs. This is as ASEAN also takes steps to strengthen itself and introduce more effective work processes.

24 Ms Lim and Mr Liang Eng Hwa have asked how ASEAN would be able to maintain its relevance in today’s geopolitical environment. Indeed, ASEAN Centrality has become even more important in the face of intensifying intra-ASEAN challenges and major power rivalry. Our priority now is the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Under the AOIP, we are exploring concrete projects with our partners in four priority areas: economy, maritime cooperation, connectivity, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Through these projects, we aim to increase ASEAN mindshare, promote mutual benefit, and keep external partners vested in the stability of our region.

25 ASEAN is a region of considerable economic opportunity. I would encourage our younger Singaporeans to consider doing their internships or a semester abroad in an ASEAN country. With 660 million people, a young workforce, urbanization, and healthy GDP growth, ASEAN is already the fifth largest economy in the world and could be the fourth largest by 2030. ASEAN provides a platform for economic cooperation and integration. For instance, the region is committed to addressing climate change and transitioning to a green economy. At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat last month, there was discussion about ASEAN’s Power Grid. The benefits of a power grid will be enormous in terms of energy accessibility, decarbonization, and economic opportunity. On our part, we look forward to enhancing the pilot Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), which serves as a pathfinder for the potential grid. We are also pursuing similar initiatives bilaterally. We have issued Conditional Approvals to import low-carbon electricity from Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. We signed a Green-Digital Economic Partnership agreement with Vietnam last year. We were the first to sign a Letter of Intent with Indonesia on cross-border Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). We are exploring carbon credits collaboration with Laos.

26 Another example is in the digital economy. ASEAN has launched negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which we aim to settle next year. Singapore has digital payment links with Thailand and Malaysia. Last year, we launched a cross-border QR payment linkage with Indonesia. We are seeking to pursue similar arrangements at the multilateral level through ASEAN.

27 As the 2024 ASEAN chair, Laos has decided on the theme “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”. To Mr Neil Parekh’s query, we are committed to giving Laos our full support for their ASEAN chairmanship, including through the Singapore-Laos Enhanced Cooperation Package. We recognise that Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship comes at a crucial time, as ASEAN seeks to position itself for future growth amidst global headwinds. The creation of more shared opportunities in areas like connectivity, supply chains, and energy resilience will benefit all ASEAN members.

Engagements beyond the region

28 We are also looking to deepen engagements with partners outside of Southeast Asia.

29 We will continue to grow our relations with South Asia, which is a key region for us given our proximity, economic links, and history. Mr Edward Chia asked about our relations with India. India is one of our key partners in South Asia and a rising global economic power. We have had a slew of high-level engagements, especially during India’s G20 presidency. Given our close people-to-people ties, we are keen to explore opportunities to promote knowledge sharing between Singaporean and Indian youths through platforms like the Asia-Ready Exposure Programme, or the ASEAN-India Exchange Programme. We will explore cooperation through the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable in areas like Fintech, sustainability, and food and energy security.

30 To Mr Neil’s query on the Gulf States, we enjoy good ties with many of them and are seeking further collaboration in areas like trade and investment, digital governance, cyber-security, and low-carbon energy. In the past year, we have had several high-level exchanges with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, and Jordan. We established a Strategic Partnership with Saudi Arabia during PM’s visit in October last year, our first in the region. This will provide an enhanced platform for us to deepen cooperation in mutually beneficial areas like human capital development and halal industry cooperation.

31 We have sustained high-level engagement with our African partners too. For instance, PM made his first official visits to South Africa and Kenya in May 2023. Mr Wee asked about the ties between Singapore and South Africa. Indeed, we have kept up engagements at the leadership level. Minister Vivian hosted the 4^th Singapore-Sub-Saharan Africa High-Level Ministerial Exchange Visit in August 2023. South Africa Deputy President Paul Mashatile made an Official Visit to Singapore in December 2023. We will continue to bolster ties with our African friends and look for ways to strengthen economic and people-to-people exchanges.

International organisations

32 Mr Liang and Ms Nadia Ahmad Sadin have asked what role Singapore can play to support the international order. We can do so by remaining a staunch advocate for a rules-based multilateralism. Many other nations see us as a consistent and constructive player on the international stage, evident in the election results for our candidatures in organisations like the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). We will try to contribute to the shaping of global norms in positive ways. For instance, Ambassador Rena Lee oversaw the successful conclusion of the international agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) in March 2023, buttressing Singapore’s leading role on international law of the sea issues.

33 Ms Usha Chandradas asked how Singapore has been engaging multilateral groups to prepare for common challenges. We are the founder and remain the convenor of the Forum of Small States (FOSS) in the UN. Just last week, we hosted UN Permanent Representatives under the 12^th FOSS Fellowship Programme, to discuss best practices on issues like sustainable development, climate change, cyber security, and digital transformation.

34 Mr Chairman, I have talked about some of our bilateral and multilateral relations. SMS Sim Ann will elaborate on other accounts. But the main point is this: It is our ties with the rest of the world that will help put us in a position to thrive even in turbulent times. This is the agency that we have, and this is what our officers here and in Overseas Missions have been working hard on. MFA will continue to play our part in safeguarding our survival and fostering our prosperity. Thank you.

.     .     .     .     .