STATEMENT BY MS. KAREN ONG, PERMNANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPROE TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME EXECUTIVE BOARD 25 AUGUST 2025 UNHQ, NEW YORK

Mr. President, 

Distinguished Members of the Executive Board,

I thank Acting Administrator Xu Haoliang for presenting the UNDP Strategic Plan (2026-2029). Singapore extends our full support for this ambitious and timely Strategic Plan. As the Plan noted, this is indeed a period of “extraordinary turbulence” with more acute polycrises and receding development funding globally. This is why the UNDP’s role as a development integrator has never been more salient. I would like to make three points. 

2 First, we commend how this Plan has listened to the ground and evolved. In particular, the evolution from “poverty eradication” to “prosperity for all” as a strategic objective rightly acknowledges that countries aspire not just to bare minimums. We should be horizon-scanning and building dynamic and resilient economies and societies. We must recognise that expectations of development and, ergo, the UNDP, have changed.  

3  Furthermore, expanding UNDP’s portfolio approach to a full “systems approach” is the correct response to the interconnected nature of our global challenges. It empowers the UNDP to explore programme synergies and leverage accelerators such as “digital and AI transformation” to deliver truly integrated solutions at the country-level, maximising impact and reducing duplication in a tighter financing landscape. For example, the integration of UNDP’s Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (GC-TISD), with whom Singapore has worked closely to support fellow developing countries, within a new UNDP Digital, AI and Innovation Hub reflects both this future orientation and institutional synergy. 

4  Second, Singapore underscores the criticality of financial innovation. We strongly support the catalytic mobilisation and use of capital, including from private and philanthropic sources. The success of Integrated National Financing Frameworks, which have already mobilised US$16 billion in new finance, demonstrates the powerful role UNDP can play as a broker, aligning all actors – from the World Bank to capital markets – behind national development priorities. 

5  Lastly, we must not forget that this systems-level work must remain grounded in local impact. In the context of UN80 reforms, the UNDP must utilise its distributed, capillary country network, which is its greatest advantage, to build sustainable local capacity in developing countries, supporting them to pursue their development ambitions in a resilient and integrated manner. 

Mr. President, 

6  Singapore will continue to support the UNDP in achieving the vision outlined in the Strategic Plan and reaffirms our commitment to working collectively to move the development needle forward. 

7  I thank you. 

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