MFA Press Statement: Visit by Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family development, Sam Tan to Argentina and Paraguay, 19 to 22 March 2019

Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development, Sam Tan, visited Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 20 to 22 March 2019 to attend the Second High-Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40).

MOS Tan delivered Singapore’s national statement, which elaborated on Singapore’s perspective on South-South Cooperation and its potential for the future, on 20 March 2019.  The full text of MOS Tan’s remarks is appended. 

While at BAPA+40, MOS Tan met with (i) Bahamas Minister of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration Theodore Brent Symonette, (ii) Angola Minister of State for Economic and Social Development Manuel José Nunes Júnior, (iii) Equatorial Guinea Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Missions Bonifacio Mitogo Edjang, and (iv) Norway State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jens Frølich Holte, on the sidelines of the conference.  He also visited the Singapore Cooperation Programme booth at the BAPA+40 Exhibition.

MOS Tan further called on Argentine Economy Minister Nicolás Dujovne on 20 March.  Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic ties between Singapore and Argentina.  They discussed the potential for greater bilateral cooperation through the MERCOSUR-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (MSFTA) which will meet for the first round of negotiations in April 2019.  They noted the progress in ongoing negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and looked forward to concluding negotiations by the first half of 2019.  MOS Tan also expressed Singapore’s interest to start negotiations on an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTA).  In his meeting with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Gustavo Zlauvinen on 21 March, MOS Tan noted the positive momentum in bilateral relations following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Argentina in November 2018 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit.  MOS Tan also reiterated Singapore’s invitation for President Mauricio Macri to visit Singapore in 2019. 

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STATEMENT BY SINGAPORE

AT THE SECOND HIGH-LEVEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION (BAPA+40)

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, 20-22 MARCH 2019

DELIVERED BY MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, SAM TAN CHIN SIONG

Mr President

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

1 A very good evening to all of you.  I would like to start by thanking the Government of the Argentine Republic for hosting this milestone conference, and for giving us this opportunity to share Singapore’s perspective on South-South Cooperation and its potential for the future.

Ladies and Gentlemen

2 Singapore benefitted first-hand from South-South and Triangular Cooperation as a young and developing nation in 1965.  Then, we received technical assistance from all stakeholders including developed countries, fellow developing countries and international organisations.  This diversity of development cooperation helped us get into our act quickly. 

3 Having benefitted from South-South Cooperation, Singapore is committed to “paying it forward”.  Our own experience shows that targeted technical assistance can be a powerful catalyst for development.  This is especially true for small countries like Singapore with limited natural resources, as there is a greater need to harness the potential of our people.  Established in 1992, the Singapore Cooperation Programme is Singapore’s contribution to South-South and Triangular Cooperation.  Over a hundred and twenty-five thousand (125,000) officials from over 170 countries and territories have benefited from participating in the Singapore Cooperation Programme, in areas such as urban planning, public service and water management.

4 But our journey does not end here. 

5 We live in an age of great uncertainty.  The world is becoming “more risky” in a sense.  Studies have shown that geopolitical and security threats have increased over the past four years, while risks from economic shocks, climate change, and pandemics continue to cast a shadow over the global community.  

6 It is therefore timely that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015 to set out a development road map for the future for many countries.  And this requires resources on a massive scale.  The UN estimates that between five to seven trillion US dollars are needed each year to help us achieve the SDGs.  This is more than thirty times what is extended in official development assistance. 

7 The challenge is enormous but not impossible. The principles of South-South Cooperation, which promote,inter alia, the exchange of best practices and support among developing countries on the basis of mutual respect, continue to be relevant today.  However, there is a need to take stock and update our partnerships to meet developing countries’ evolving needs. 

8 With this purpose in mind, Singapore has re-aligned the Singapore Cooperation Programme’s objectives to better support the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda. For example, we have developed technical assistance programmes that draw on Singapore’s experience in water and sanitation, sustainable urbanisation and public institutions, to support progress on SDGs 6, 11 and 16.  We have also put together a special Climate Action Package to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change – this is really a serious threat which small island developing countries like Singapore are currently facing. 

9 Where we do not have enough resources or expertise, we have collaborated with others to curate programmes that better meet the needs of developing countries.  Notably, Singapore has started new joint technical programmes with Argentina and Chile to support Southeast Asian, Caribbean and Latin American countries’ sustainable development efforts.  We have also cooperated with UN agencies to deliver courses and conferences, such as the Singapore-UN-Habitat sustainable urbanisation programme for African city leaders. 

10 Moving forward, there is a greater need for countries to build inclusive and collaborative networks across sectors, and effectively mobilise resources.  And in this vein, Singapore established the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) last year. Building these networks have helped to catalyse mutually beneficial partnerships between member countries and cities, and external partners to drive smart cities development.  We intend to build on this momentum and continue contributing meaningfully to South-South and Triangular Cooperation. 

11 To conclude, Singapore hopes to make a modest contribution to help create the necessary conditions for sustainable development in our fellow developing countries.  Our experience may not always be directly applicable to other countries, but we hope interested countries can adapt what they find useful in the best practices and lessons we share to suit their own local context. With strong commitment and resolve, I am confident that South-South and Triangular Cooperation will remain relevant for the next forty years. 

12 Thank you.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

22 MARCH 2019

Photo caption: MOS Sam Tan delivering Singapore's National Statement on 20 March 2019 at the Second High-Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40)

Photo caption: Meeting between MOS Sam Tan and His Excellency Nicolás Dujovne, Minister of Economy of the Argentine Republic, in Buenos Aires, 20 March 2019