STATEMENT BY MISS LIEW LI LIN, DELEGATE TO THE 70th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 25(b), ON SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION, SECOND COMMITTEE, 12 OCTOBER 2015

Mr Chairman,

1             I would like to align Singapore with the statements made by South Africa on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Maldives on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, and Vietnam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, on this agenda item.  I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for the various reports on this item.

Mr Chairman,

2             The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) was a momentous and historic milestone that will guide us all to do development better.  The challenge ahead is to turn rhetoric into reality, and implement this Agenda that we have set for ourselves and our people.

3             Achieving the 2030 Agenda will require increased commitment and intensified international cooperation on many fronts.  Official Development Assistance (ODA) will remain a key pillar of development financing, particularly for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which urgently need continued and increased support.  However, given the challenges at hand, ODA alone is insufficient.  We need an integrated approach based on multiple sources and that engages multiple stakeholders.  In this regard, we are pleased that South-South cooperation has strengthened, along with triangular cooperation and multi-stakeholder partnerships.  These have taken many forms, from the sharing of experiences, technical assistance, to working with third countries to provide support.  But ODA from developed countries will continue to remain very important.  South-South cooperation, whilst important and growing, is not a substitute for public funding from developed countries. 

Mr Chairman,

4             Singapore’s development experience is made up of many successful partnership stories with both developed and developing countries, international organisations and the private sector.  The benefits that such partnerships brought to Singapore have made us firm believers in giving back.  Singapore’s technical cooperation with our fellow developing countries is founded on the principle that human resources are vital and that capacity building through continuous consultations can deliver most impactful outcomes.  Our own experience shows that technical assistance is equally effective, if not more, than just financial aid, and in creating the right conditions for growth.

5             We therefore established the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) in 1992 to share our development experience - both our successes and our failures - with our friends.  The SCP offers technical assistance to developing countries to build up competencies in the areas most relevant and useful to them.  To date, we have trained over 100,000 participants from 170 countries in various areas, including Economic Development, Education, Environmental Management, Urban Development, Healthcare, Public Administration and Governance.  Singapore also collaborates with over 40 other countries and international organisations to pool expertise in providing technical assistance under our Third Country Training Programme framework. 

6             Singapore unveiled a series of new initiatives in the past year to step up our technical cooperation efforts.  In September 2014, we announced a three-year technical cooperation package for fellow SIDS, comprising customised training programmes, fellowships in civil aviation and maritime training courses in Singapore, and the full suite of SCP courses.  In March this year, we announced a partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to jointly conduct a specialised training course to support developing countries, particularly fellow SIDs which are in the frontline of climate change, in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. 

7             At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, Singapore announced the launch of a new Sustainable Development Programme in support of the 2030 Agenda. Under this new programme, Singapore will work with UN Habitat to help build capacity in urban governance and planning in cities around the world.  We hope to contribute to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, as envisioned by SDG 11.  Singapore will also work with partners to provide training on water and sanitation solutions for countries in need, as our contribution to fulfilling SDG 6.

Mr Chairman,

8             Singapore hopes to make a modest contribution to building the capacity of governments to create the necessary conditions for sustainable development.  We focus on key principles that are critical to our development path, and which may be relevant to other developing countries.  These are: first and foremost, honest and competent government.  Second, rule of law, as sound and effective institutions are integral to sustainable development.  Third, economic and social policy must be pragmatic, not dogmatic.  Our experience may not be directly applicable to other countries, but it is our hope that they will find our experience useful and adapt them to their local context. Ultimately, countries must take ownership of their own development. Singapore is committed to playing our part to support other developing countries to implement the 2030 Agenda.

10           I thank you, Mr Chairman.  

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