STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UN, AT THE INFORMAL INTERACTIVE SEGMENT WITH THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL ON HIS PRIORITIES FOR 2025, 15 JANUARY 2025

Mr President,

          Thank you very much, Mr President, for convening this very important meeting.

          I would like to start by thanking the Secretary-General for his steadfast leadership and for his remarks this morning outlining his priorities. I welcome very much, both the tone and substance of the Secretary-General’s remarks. I endorse and welcome the key priorities and challenges that the Secretary-General has identified. I also welcome his message of hope – a message of hope that I believe is very well-founded on realism, activism and pragmatism.

Mr President,

         It is fashionable to be critical of the United Nations, and also fashionable to be sceptical about the future of multilateralism. However, we should not allow a narrative of negativity to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. In a context of turmoil and turbulence, the role of the United Nations has become even more critical. Multilateralism is indispensable to resolving the many global challenges we face today.

           As the Secretary-General said earlier this morning, global problems require global solutions, and these solutions must be based on international law and the principles of the UN Charter. As we commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, we as member states have a responsibility to work together to strengthen the United Nations and to make it future proof. Indeed, I believe there is a window of opportunity for all of us to make concrete progress, and the glimmers of hope for peace in different parts of the world in recent days give us further hope.

             I would like to make three points.

First, it is important that we return to the foundational purposes and principles of the UN and in this regard, it is particularly important to strengthen the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security and in peacebuilding. For many small states, a multilateral rules-based system, founded on the Charter and on international law, is the very foundation for our existence and survival. In this regard, all the organs of the United Nations must play their rightful role, and that means the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and also, of course, the Secretary-General himself.

          Secondly, the Pact for the Future was one of the most significant and seminal decisions adopted by the United Nations. The Pact and its Annexes offer a clear pathway for progress to make the United Nations relevant and resilient for all our nations and our people. We should move full steam ahead in the implementation of the Pact for the Future. In this regard, we should keep in mind that as we implement the Pact for the Future, we are in essence implementing all the Sustainable Development Goals, and at the same time, making the United Nations ready and relevant for the future.

          My third point relates to the series of conferences that will take place this year, including the Financing for Development Conference, the UN Oceans Conference, the World Social Summit and a few other very important conferences. These conferences offer an opportunity to make concrete progress and rebuild trust. We must seize the opportunity to make progress offered by these various conferences, and we need to take a pragmatic approach and avoid an all-or-nothing approach. We are confident that we can make progress with the requisite political will and a spirit of flexibility and partnership.

Mr President,

        Let me conclude by saying that as a small state, Singapore is deeply committed to the success of the United Nations and the continued success and strengthening of the multilateral system. We stand ready to work closely with all Member States. We also take this opportunity to express our full support to the Secretary-General and his team. We thank him for his dedicated leadership.

Mr Secretary-General,

          We know that you carry the burden of all our hopes and expectations, but we do want you to know that you do not stand alone. You have our full support. I thank you very much for your attention.

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