STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON “MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY: EFFECTIVE MULTILATERALISM THROUGH THE DEFENSE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UN CHARTER”, 24 APRIL 2023

Mr President,

1 I wish to thank the Russian Federation for convening this important debate on the topic of effective multilateralism and the defense of the principles of the UN Charter.  I thank His Excellency Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for their opening remarks.

2 We welcome the format of an open debate as it contributes to greater transparency and inclusive participation.  It also allows Member States to convey their views directly to the members of the Security Council.  Today, Singapore would like to share its perspective as a small, independent, and sovereign nation that is deeply committed to international law and the principles of the UN Charter. 

Mr President,

3 If we want a serious discussion on multilateralism and the UN Charter, we cannot evade the elephant in the room.  Let me therefore reiterate Singapore’s position at the outset that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a serious and flagrant violation of international law and the principles of the UN Charter.  There is no justification for Russia’s illegal invasion and annexation of the territories of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent nation, and a founding member of the United Nations.

4 There is a tragic and disturbing irony in the fact that Russia invaded its neighbour while holding the Presidency of the Security Council in February 2022.  The UN Charter gives Permanent Members of the Security Council a privileged position at the United Nations.  With this special privilege also comes a special responsibility.  Accordingly, much is expected of Permanent Members in terms of defending the principles of the Charter and to uphold international law.  This expectation applies to all the Permanent Members.

Mr President,

5 International law and the principles of the UN Charter are sacrosanct.  For small states like Singapore, this is the first line of defense to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity.  The notion that might is right and the strong can do what they can and the weak suffer what they must is simply not acceptable.  

6 For small states, multilateralism is not an option; it is a necessity.  The United Nations and the multilateral system are now facing one of their greatest challenges since 1945.  The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the slowdown in the global economy have all strained global solidarity.  There is a trust deficit among the major powers, and this has become both a symptom and cause of political differences, of economic competition, and of geopolitical tensions.

7 The challenges we face are real, but the good news is that there remains strong political commitment to support the work of the United Nations.  Last month, UN members concluded an agreement to conserve and protect the High Seas, also known as the BBNJ Treaty. Also in March, the General Assembly (GA) convened a very successful UN Water Conference.  These examples offer some hope that UN members can work together and find compromises for the common good, even if they hold different political views.  This is the foundation of multilateral cooperation.

Mr President,

8 We must continue the worthy work of the United Nations, in a focused, pragmatic, and non-ideological manner.  It is also important that we mobilise to strengthen, reform, and re-energise the multilateral system.  As we navigate complex challenges, we must recall the declaration of the 75^th anniversary of the United Nations, in which our leaders agreed that “the purposes and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law remain timeless, universal and an indispensable foundation for a more peaceful, prosperous and just world”.

Mr President,

9 I wish to make three points with regard to creating a strong and effective multilateral system.

10 First, the Security Council, which is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security, must respond to global crises with a sense of unity and urgency.  The Security Council must be an arena for building understanding and for galvanising solutions, and not become an arena for vetoes and counter-vetoes that exacerbates the problem.  Members of the Security Council, in particular the Permanent Members, must respect international law and uphold the principles of the UN Charter.  Given their privileged status in the Security Council, Permanent Members must find ways to reduce tensions with one another, manage their differences from spilling over, and advance the goals and interests of the international community.  We call on all Security Council Members to respect the spirit of Article 27 (3) of the UN Charter and abstain from voting on matters in which they are a party to a dispute. The Security Council must also remain accountable to and transparent with the wider United Nations membership whose interests it is supposed to represent and protect. This is why Singapore co-sponsored the
UNGA resolution on a standing mandate for a GA debate whenever a veto is cast in the Security Council.  More broadly, Singapore supports reform of the Security Council to reflect contemporary realities, and not that of the world of 1945.   Given the changing nature of security, the Security Council must also address non-traditional security challenges such as those arising from climate change and ICT security.

11 Second, the GA is the cornerstone of an effective multilateral system.  As the universal body of the United Nations, it has unparalleled legitimacy and credibility.  The GA has proven in recent months that it can respond to crises by taking decisions.  The process of GA revitalisation is therefore important and urgent; the office of the President of the GA must be further strengthened.  The annual report of the Security Council to the GA, submitted in accordance with Article 24 (3), is fundamentally an exercise in accountability and inclusion.  It is therefore important that the annual report is submitted in a timely manner to the GA.

12 Third and finally, it is important to reform and adapt our multilateral institutions to the challenges of the future.  If we do not make the UN future-ready, the UN will have no future.  In that regard, the Secretary-General’s report entitled Our Common Agenda and the report of the High-Level Advisory Board (HLAB) on Effective Multilateralism are important and forward-looking documents that deserve the serious attention of all Member States.  After months of serious deliberations and engagement with stakeholders, the HLAB report has put forward many actionable, practical, and innovative ideas on how to achieve a more networked, inclusive, and effective multilateralism.  I urge all Member States to consider how we can follow up on some of these concrete ideas.  Ultimately, an effective multilateral system must deliver concrete results for our people and for our planet.

Mr President,

13 Let me conclude by thanking the Russian Federation for convening this open debate in the Security Council.  It is our hope that this debate will represent the beginning of a serious reflection within the Security Council on its critical role and responsibilities and lead to a collective effort to strengthen the UN and our multilateral institutions.  This will require all nations, large and small, to work together on the basis of mutual respect, respect for international law and respect for the principles of the UN Charter.

14 Thank you for your attention. 

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