Transcript of Intervention by Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann at the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting of Small States, Antigua and Barbuda, 2 November 2026

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I thank Antigua and Barbuda and the Maldives for co-chairing this meeting and express our appreciation to the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda for your warm hospitality.

Excellencies, the theme for this meeting – “Scaling-up Partnerships and Investment for Resilient Small States” – is timely. Small states face considerable challenges in a much more uncertain environment. Our limited size and resources make us more vulnerable to external shocks, from climate change, technological disruptions, and geopolitical conflicts. This makes it all the more important for us to work together to strengthen our resilience. But size need not determine our destiny. Many of our friends here are not merely Small Island States, they are also "Big Ocean States", with vast maritime resources and economic potential. The challenge is to translate this potential into development opportunities. Many “Big Ocean” States have promising projects in areas such as renewable energy and connectivity, but may face challenges in securing the financing and skills needed to bring projects to fruition. This is where partnerships help us achieve economies of scale and unlock opportunities that may otherwise be beyond our individual reach. Allow me to share two examples from Singapore's experience.

First, mobilising financing through innovative partnerships. Public resources alone cannot meet our development needs, especially with governments facing growing fiscal pressures and competing demands. We need to find ways to use public financing more effectively to attract private investment, particularly for projects that investors may otherwise consider too risky. In 2023, Singapore launched the Financing Asia's Transition Partnership, or FAST-P, to mobilise capital for Asia's green transition, bringing together public, private and philanthropic partners. FAST-P has since raised over US$1 billion towards its target of mobilising up to US$5 billion. It is supporting projects in areas such as renewable energy and energy infrastructure, contributing to the region’s decarbonisation efforts. The underlying idea is simple: by combining public and private resources, we can unlock financing that neither could mobilise as effectively on its own.

Second, investing in our people and institutions. Mobilising financing is only one part of the equation. Strong institutions and skilled people are equally essential to attract investment, make effective use of development opportunities, and sustain growth over the longer term. Singapore benefited from international technical assistance during our early years of independence. Now, through the Singapore Cooperation Programme, we actively support fellow small states through practical capacity-building and knowledge-sharing. In May 2024, we launched the SIDS of Change package to support fellow Small Island Developing States in implementing the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, particularly in addressing climate change, digitalisation and other global challenges. We have since renewed the package. From April 2027, it will offer customised courses on artificial intelligence for governance and public service transformation, as well as civil aviation and maritime fellowships. To date, we have shared our development experience with over 13,900 SIDS officials. In August this year, Singapore also worked with the Commonwealth Secretariat to organise a course on “Digital Governance and AI Adoption for Public Service”.  Through these programmes, we hope to strengthen the capabilities and institutions that enable small states to seize opportunities and build resilience over the longer term.

Excellencies, the Commonwealth is well-placed to help small states achieve more together. I commend the Commonwealth Secretariat for bringing other partners to join us at this meeting to explore new opportunities for cooperation, such as in investments or capacity building. Singapore looks forward to working with fellow Commonwealth members to turn our shared ambitions into concrete results. Thank you.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

2 NOVEMBER 2026