INTERVENTION BY AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE BRIEFING ON THE UN PUBLIC SERVICE FORUM 15 APRIL 2026 UNHQ, CONFERENCE ROOM 5

H.E. Pataa Salia, Minister of Justice of Georgia,

ASG Bjørg Sandkjær,

Excellencies,

Thank you for this briefing, and we look forward to the Forum in Tbilisi in June. I are pleased to note that Singapore and Georgia have maintained diplomatic relations for over thirty years and much of it has been rooted in the realm of public service cooperation.

2         Singapore’s approach to public service rests on a simple but enduring proposition: that the quality of government is not a product of circumstances, but the result of deliberate choices – in values, institutions and people.

3         Singapore has built our public services on three pillars. The first is meritocracy. Selecting and advancing officers on the basis of capability and integrity, not privilege or tenure. The second is incorruptibility. Maintaining the highest standards of accountability as the bedrock of public trust. The third is a constant orientation towards the citizenry. Not administration as an end in itself, but effective and responsive service delivery that improves people’s lives. These values remain constant even as the tools of government change.

4        Public service today faces growing complexity that demands new technologies and new ways of organising. Singapore’s response has been to innovate continuously. Allow me briefly to share two examples of this. First, is our LifeSG initiative – a platform that consolidates over 100 government services in a single, citizen-facing application, designed around the moments of people’s lives rather than the silos of agencies. Second, is ServiceSG – an omni-channel network of physical centres where officers assist citizens with over 600 services across more than 25 agencies, ensuring that digital transformation does not leave anyone behind. In both initiatives, we hold firmly the principle that innovation must be inclusive.

5         These lessons tie into the importance of the UN Public Service Forum. No government has a monopoly on good ideas. Singapore’s belief is that the strongest public services draw not only on in-house expertise, but on the full breadth of global networks and partnerships. We therefore look forward to the Forum in Tbilisi to identify what works, how to adapt it to different contexts, and using it to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

6          Thank you.