STATEMENT BY MR. BALAJI RAGOTHAMAN, DELEGATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE 81ST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 81ST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECOND COMMITTEE 5-6 OCTOBER 2026

Thank you, Mdm Chair.

                    Singapore congratulates you and the members of the Bureau on your election. You have our full support. Singapore aligns itself with the statements made on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, AOSIS, and ASEAN.

2                  Four years remain to deliver the 2030 Agenda. But the world we find ourselves in is not the one in which we set out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Trade is fragmenting, the cost of capital has risen, official development assistance (ODA) has dropped sharply, and too many developing countries now spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare or education. We do not lack solutions. Nor do we lack capital. Our challenge is ensuring that the solutions and capital reach the places that need it most, at a cost they can afford. Singapore would highlight three priorities:

3                  First, we must make public money work harder.  Public finance, including ODA and concessional finance, remains indispensable. But every public dollar must be deployed to draw in several more by (a) absorbing risks that investors cannot yet price; (b) building pipelines of bankable projects; and (c) by giving investors the policy predictability and confidence they need to commit for the long-term. The Sevilla Commitment already sets out the agenda. What remains is implementation. Singapore has already put into action catalytic instruments such as our Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P) blended finance facility which aims to mobilise up to US$5billion in collaboration with public, private and philanthropic sector partners to de-risk and finance green and transition projects in Asia. In May 2026, the Green Investments Partnership (GIP) under FAST-P achieved US$800 million in committed capital to support investments in renewable energy and storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, sustainable transport, water and waste management.

4                  Second, digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in particular, will only advance development if it reaches the last mile. Much of the global conversation on AI centres on the large and frontier models. For many developing countries, a more useful question might perhaps be what smaller, targeted AI models and solutions can do: models trained on local languages and data, able to run on modest infrastructure, and built to solve specific problems for a farmer, a clinic or a small manufacturer. Such tools can lower transaction costs, improve access to finance and public services, and make small firms visible to lenders who cannot yet assess their risk. Singapore will continue to work with our partners to make our AI tools accessible and offer practical solutions for local conditions.

5              Third, we must start the conversation on what comes after 2030 now, not in 2029. The SDGs have given the international community a common language for sustainable development. That is worth keeping. But we should be candid on two counts. First, measurement is lacking. Too many targets still cannot be assessed for lack of data. Investing in national statistical systems provides us with high return on spending. Second, focus is lacking. The SDGs are integrated, and that is precisely why some investments, in energy access, digital connectivity or education, have such a multiplier effect. When official resources are shrinking, trying to do everything, everywhere, all at all once, spreads them too thinly to make a real difference. Capital should go where it catalyses most, guided by each country’s priorities and comparative advantages. We must begin this discussion in earnest ahead of the 2027 SDG Summit, including during this main committee session.  

Mdm Chair,

6             Singapore will continue contributing through partnerships, innovation and capacity building. We should use the remaining years to accelerate what works, while also preparing the foundations for sustainable development beyond 2030.

7              Thank you.