STATEMENT BY MISS JAIME SEAH, DELEGATE TO THE 70TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 22, ON GLOBALISATION AND INTERDEPENDENCE, SECOND COMMITTEE, 15 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; and the Philippines, on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on this agenda item.  We would also like to thank the Secretary-General for the reports on this agenda item.

Mr Chairman,

2        It is undeniable that the world has become more interconnected and interdependent as a result of globalisation. It is critical that we manage globalisation well.  Managed poorly, global integration risks marginalising whole economies and millions of people in the developing world.  Managed wisely, globalisation can and will lift millions out of poverty, and become the road to a just and inclusive global economy.  History has shown that since the end of the Second World War, no country has lifted itself out of poverty without participating in the global economy.  If the international community is to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is imperative that we work together to harness the positive forces of globalisation for the benefit of all, in particular developing countries.

Mr Chairman,

3        As a resource-scarce city-state without a natural hinterland or a large domestic market to generate sufficient jobs and economic sustainability, Singapore’s long-term survival hinged on our integration into the global economy.  We have therefore embraced globalisation, and looked to the region and beyond, for resources, investment and human capital.  Our experience has shown that crucial elements, such as domestic stability, rule of law, transparency, accountability and market oriented policies are needed to provide the necessary climate and infrastructure for investment and trade.  They have enabled us to build a strong, open and competitive economy.

4        However, we recognise that globalisation has made the world smaller.  Events in one country can impact others.  In this smaller world, new dangers and threats are emerging around us.  ISIS and Jihadist terrorists are a serious problem, including for Singapore, because they threaten our physical safety and our racial harmony.  Beyond this, there is a greater threat that Singapore, as a small cosmopolitan city-State, could just dissolve, melt into a globalised world and lose our sense of national identity.  Shutting Singapore out of the global economy is not an option.  The challenge then for us, as a multi-racial, multi-religious country, is to maintain our national identity and social cohesion in the face of such threats and divisions.  We cannot take our racial and religious harmony, which has been painstakingly built up over the years, for granted. 

5        We have therefore made special efforts to forge stronger bonds between the different communities in Singapore and increase the sense of belonging among our citizens.  At the national level, the government has established the National Steering Committee on Race and Religious Harmony to bring together leaders from the major ethnic and faith groups in Singapore to dialogue and build trust across their respective communities.  At the local level, the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCC) help to bring familiarity and strengthen relationships across ethnic, religious and community groups.  We also nurture values and common experiences in schools.

6        Fast-changing technologies have also heightened volatility in a globalised world.  They will create new opportunities for some groups, but others may lose out if they are unable to adapt to the changes.  There is the concern that jobs will be displaced, accentuating inequality in the process, and fracturing our social cohesion and identity.  One easy way out is to insulate ourselves from the globalised economy and erect barriers.  However, we opted to confront the challenge head on and work to remain ahead of the technological revolution, just as we did 50 years ago, when we decided to open our economy to embrace globalisation.  We recognised that the advent of personal computing, the internet, robotics, big data analytics, and 3D printing will transform the way we live, work, play socialise communicate, and organise ourselves.  We are therefore harnessing the technology, ICT, networks, and data to support better living, create new opportunities, and build stronger communities in Singapore.  Our vision is for Singapore to be a Smart Nation – a nation where people live inclusive, meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, with opportunities for all. To realise this transformation, we are:

       i.            putting in place the necessary physical infrastructure to provide nationwide broadband;

     ii.            strengthening our education system to increase IT literacy and enable working adults to pick up new skills; and

  iii.            creating an environment where people with an idea are able to quickly prototype it, test it out, and get it on to the market.  

The task ahead will not be easy, but we remain convinced that the only way ahead is to anticipate the changes that a globalised world will bring, and to nimbly formulate the appropriate policies to ensure that our countries harness these forces for the benefit of our peoples. 

7        While much responsibility lies at the national level, globalisation and economic integration have brought into focus the urgent need to redefine global governance and decision-making.  The United Nations (UN) must remain the cornerstone of global governance, in recognition of its universality and unquestioned legitimacy.  The UN, together with international organisations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, must help ensure that the global economic framework remains conducive for growth, especially amidst the on-going economic uncertainties.   However, they also need to renew themselves so as to adapt and better respond to the new environment and the challenges that are presented; and be more inclusive to give developing countries a greater say.  In a globalised world, there are more complex challenges, such as pandemics, which require closer international and regional cooperation.  It is therefore important for the international community to work together to address these challenges.  The UN and international organisations, in consultation with developing countries, can and should help put in place coordinated programmes to build the necessary capacity and foster an enabling environment at all levels for developing countries to plug into the global economy and reap the benefits of globalisation and the knowledge revolution.  

8        I thank you.

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