MFA Press Statement - UN accepts Singapore's offer of support to the UN's Disaster Relief and Reconstruction Efforts arising from the Tsunami of 26 Dec 04

The United Nations has accepted Singapore's offer today. Singapore is glad to be of help to the UN in overcoming the daunting challenges in the distribution of emergency aid to the affected areas, particularly in Indonesia.

Singapore's package includes the use of Singapore's Air and Naval bases, the use of Singapore aircraft and helicopter carriers and the setting up of the UN Regional Coordination Centre i.e. a dedicated administration, secretariat, command, control & communications, and media support centre. The air and naval bases are already operational. The coordination centre will be set up quickly [see details at Annex].

The UN is taking a leading role in coordinating the movement and distribution of this relief aid. However, as the UN has indicated that logistical constraints caused by overloaded airports and other bottlenecks are holding up the distribution of aid, the coordinating centre in Singapore will help to alleviate the situation and bring emergency disaster relief food and medical supplies and other forms of humanitarian assistance where it is needed most.

Among the logistical needs identified by the UN of utmost priority are equipment like transport aircraft and helicopters as well as staging areas for mounting relief operations, all of which will be made available to the UN relief agencies based here.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
3 JANUARY 2005

Annex

SINGAPORE'S OVERALL PACKAGE TO UN

1 Use of Singapore's Air and Naval Bases. On 31 December 2004, Singapore offered to open its air and naval bases for use as additional staging and logistics points for bringing disaster relief supplies and aid into that part of Indonesia. Paya Lebar Air Base is capable of taking the largest transport aircraft such as C-5s, C-17s and B-747s, and short haul aircraft such as C-130s and helicopters. Changi Naval Base can take alongside Aircraft Carriers and Helicopter Carriers and large logistics ships. Charges for the handling of relief supplies that comes through our ports have also been waived.

2 Air Force Aircraft and Helicopter Carriers. Singapore has currently about 600 people deployed for disaster relief in Sumatra. It has also deployed an additional 200 people in Phuket, Thailand, to help in the disaster relief efforts. The following assets will be of help to the UN:

(a) Six Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Chinook heavy helicopters and 2 Super Puma medium helicopters currently operating in Medan and Banda Aceh carrying relief supplies from Medan and Banda Aceh into West Sumatra;

(b) RSAF C-130s have also been flying daily directly between Banda Aceh, Medan and Singapore carrying relief supplies and supporting our medical and disaster relief teams there.

(c) A 6000-ton helicopter landing ship has arrived off West Sumatra on 2 January 2005. It can operate heavy and medium helicopters, has a well-dock for landing craft, and is carrying a medical and surgical team, relief supplies and bulldozers and other earth moving equipment.

These capabilities are the type that the UN has called for urgently. We currently have them in location and are working in coordination with the Indonesian relief authorities. We are also in close proximity to the affected areas, which can be reached in one hop from Singapore. Singapore would be happy to see how these capabilities, and our Paya Lebar Air Base and Changi Naval Base, can fit into the overall efforts that are being made by the UN.

3 Regional Coordination Centre. As the UN's relief and reconstruction efforts get underway, the UN would also need administrative and secretariat support for its relief operations. We will offer office space at a convenient location for the setting up of a command, control and communications centre, media centre, administrative support, and the necessary facilities and equipment. Details are being worked out.

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