STATEMENT BY MR MOK CHAK YONG, SINGAPORE DELEGATE TO THE 78TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ON PLENARY AGENDA ITEM 72: STRENGTHENING OF THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AND DISASTER RELIEF ASSISTANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS, INCLUDING SPECIAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE 8 DECEMBER 2023

Mr President

At the outset, my delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his reports that highlighted how Member States could work together to strengthen humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. I also express my delegation’s support for draft resolutions A/78/L.20 “Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations”, A/78/L.21 “International cooperation on humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, and A/78/L.22 “Assistance to the Palestinian People”. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by Indonesia on behalf of ASEAN. I add the following remarks in my national capacity.

2 Singapore commends UN aid agencies and personnel for their efforts in responding to humanitarian emergencies globally. Singapore pays tribute to UNRWA’s unyielding determination to conduct life-saving work in Gaza despite over 130 UNRWA staff having been killed.

3 Singapore has contributed more than S$7 million in cash and in-kind donations to support relief operations in Gaza. We have also deployed a military aircraft to deliver life-saving supplies to El Arish for civilians affected by the war in Gaza. We continue to urge the immediate, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian aid to civilians throughout Gaza.

4 Singapore also appreciates the work of the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and other agencies in responding to humanitarian emergencies. With the dramatic and unpredictable changes in the nature and extent of humanitarian situations, it is imperative that the UN system remains agile and adaptable to effectively address evolving challenges in disaster risk and management.

Mr President,

5 Within ASEAN, one in seven individuals have experienced the aftermath of disasters between 2018 and 2022. The first half of 2023 alone witnessed nearly 500 disasters in Southeast Asia. ASEAN is particularly vulnerable to the detrimental impacts of climate change. Projections indicate that uncontrolled climate shifts could erase 35 percent of ASEAN’s GDP by 2050. This underscores the urgent need to fortify resilience and response capabilities. Singapore would like to make three recommendations in this regard.

6 First, we should invest in capability building for resilient communities. This will empower our communities to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through resilience-building programmes. A 2020 study by the Asian Development Bank highlights that every dollar allocated towards disaster reduction can save between four to seven dollars in disaster response costs.

7 Singapore is also happy to share our experiences through technical assistance programmes. Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme, Singapore has trained over 150,000 officials from more than 180 countries, territories, and intergovernmental organisations including on topics such as climate adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and green finance.

8 Second, we should encourage further collaboration with non-governmental stakeholders. It makes sense to harness the capabilities and resources of civil society and the private sector to scale up relief efforts. We can also tap into their extensive networks to streamline last-mile aid delivery efforts.

9 Third, we should leverage on technology to improve our work and build our knowledge base and scientific understanding in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, in line with the best available science. Singapore will be sharing high-resolution climate projections for Southeast Asia from our latest National Climate Change Study to support regional countries in their adaptation efforts. We believe that such sharing can have a meaningful multiplier effect in passing relevant knowledge to fellow developing countries. We encourage greater and innovative cooperation among Member States, relevant UN bodies such as the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and other stakeholders to fortify our combined capacity for managing disasters.

Mr President,

10 In conclusion, Singapore attaches great importance to strengthening our collective resilience and ability to respond to disasters. Robust cooperation and multilateralism are vital to address these challenges and protecting the most vulnerable.

11 Thank you.

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