MFA Press Statement: Visit by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli to Japan, 12-14 February 2013

Call on Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Dr Salam Fayyad (left) by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli (right) prior to the Conference on Cooperation Among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development in Tokyo, Japan. [Photo: MFA]
 

Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli called on Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Dr Salam Fayyad on 13 February 2013 ahead of the inaugural Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development. 

During the call, Dr Fayyad, who is co-chairing the Conference, thanked SMS Masagos for Singapore’s participation. 

The leaders agreed that both sides faced some similar developmental challenges given their small size and limited natural resources.  Dr Fayyad said that there were lessons that Palestine could learn from Singapore’s development experience and highlighted that the PNA was particularly interested in developing its education sector.

SMS Masagos reiterated Singapore’s commitment to extending technical assistance to the PNA.  First provided in 2007 in Paris, SMS Masagos informed Dr Fayyad that Singapore would enhance the existing technical assistance package to PNA.  Dr Fayyad and the PNA delegation which included PNA Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki expressed appreciation for Singapore’s offer. 

SMS Masagos also delivered a speech at CEAPAD on 14 February 2013 detailing Singapore’s history of support for the PNA’s capacity-building efforts, and announcing an enhanced technical assistance package to the PNA worth S$5 million over 5 years.  Attached is the full text of SMS Masagos’ speech.

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STATEMENT BY MR MASAGOS ZULKIFLI, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND HOME AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE, AT THE CONFERENCE ON COOPERATION AMONG EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES FOR PALESTINIAN DEVELOPMENT, TOKYO, 14 FEBRUARY 2013

Your Excellency Prime Minister Dr Salam Fayyad,

Your Excellency Vice Minister Mr Syunichi Suzuki,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1                                 Singapore is pleased to participate in this Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development.  It is a useful platform for Asian countries to share our relevant experiences in supporting the Palestinian National Authority's capacity-building efforts, as well as to exchange views on how to better address development needs.  I join my colleagues in expressing our special thanks to Japan for hosting this Conference together with the Palestinian National Authority.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

2                                 Singapore has consistently taken a principled position to support the right of the Palestinians to a homeland.  This was conveyed in our statement welcoming the proclamation of a Palestinian state in 1988.  Nonetheless, we also believe that only a negotiated settlement consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 242 can provide the basis for a viable, long-term solution that will allow Israel and Palestine to live side-by-side in peace and security.  Both parties have legitimate rights, but also shared responsibilities.  As such, there will have to be compromises on both sides in order to achieve a long-lasting peace.  In this regard, Singapore joins the international community in urging both sides to restart serious negotiations as early as possible to realise the two-state solution.  Continued violence or conflict cannot be the answer.

3                                 Singapore has been contributing to Palestine's development primarily through technical assistance under the Singapore Cooperation Programme.  We have been training Palestinian officials for many years in areas that Singapore is strong in, such as public administration and urban planning.  We have also offered scholarships to Palestinian officials to support the Palestinian National Authority's human resource development.  We are working with other partners such as Japan International Cooperation Agency to offer joint technical assistance to Palestine.  We believe this is the best way for us to make a difference to Palestine's long-term development.

4                                 We had offered a S$1 million technical assistance package for Palestine at the Paris Donors Conference in 2007.  Under this package, Palestinian officials have visited Singapore for training in subjects such as public financial management, e-government and integrated land use planning, and to see first-hand our infrastructure, our systems and our processes.  We hope that these are useful training opportunities and those officials have been able to adopt or adapt some of the principles that may be relevant to them.  To demonstrate our continued commitment to support Palestinian capacity-building efforts, I am pleased to announce at this Conference that Singapore will offer a new enhanced technical assistance package worth S$5 million dollars over five years.  This package builds on our experience and insights into Palestine's development needs through our earlier cooperation in the area of technical assistance.  This new enhanced package will include training courses and study visits and post-graduate scholarships that are customised to meet the specific needs of the Palestinian National Authority.  The package will also include priority placements in training courses offered by the SCP in subjects of interest and relevance for our Palestinian friends.

5                                 We hope that the Palestinian National Authority will find this new technical assistance package useful and constructive in supporting their developmental efforts.  As a small nation with limited resources, we recognise that our assistance is modest but we hope that, in sharing our own experience, the lessons we have learned can be passed on and contextualised according to Palestinian needs.

6                                 Let me conclude by reiterating that Singapore will continue to support all international efforts to facilitate a negotiated solution that will be in the long-term interests of Palestine, Israel and the region as a whole.  We will also continue to provide technical assistance to Palestine in areas most relevant and impactful to their development.

7                                 Thank you.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

14 FEBRUARY 2013