STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT ZHULKARNAIN ABDUL RAHIM AT THE UNSC HIGH-LEVEL OPEN DEBATE ON “THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF WATERWAY IN THE MARITIME DOMAIN"

Mr President, 

          Thank you for convening this timely and important debate. I also thank UN Secretary-General Guterres, IMO Secretary-General Dominguez and Mr Childs for their insightful briefings.  I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Fiji, Jamaica, Malta and my own country Singapore. 

2        Our four countries played active roles in the negotiation, drafting and conclusion of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and remain committed to upholding it as the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. Although it has been more than 30 years since the Convention entered into force, we continue to face threats to the navigational rights and freedoms of vessels through international waterways. The global energy and trade crisis stemming from disruptions in and around the Strait of Hormuz has brought these vulnerabilities into sharp relief. 

3        In our interconnected global economy, no country has been spared the economic and humanitarian impact of this crisis. In particular, the disruption to supply chains has had an outsized impact on many small island nations and developing States with import-dependent economies. Over time, a crisis like this can also have far reaching implications for global peace and security, increasing the risk of armed conflict and instability. The unlawful restriction on the flows of trade, energy and critical supplies imposes a cost that we cannot afford. It is therefore in our collective interest to uphold navigational rights and freedoms, to ensure that critical sea lanes remain open, secure and accessible to all. 

4        The Strait of Hormuz is a Strait Used for International Navigation, through which the right of transit passage applies under UNCLOS. This right is also applicable as customary international law, which binds all States, even if they are not parties to UNCLOS. We therefore call on all concerned parties to uphold and respect the right of transit passage, comply with all other applicable obligations under international law, restore safe, continuous and unimpeded transit passage in the Strait of Hormuz, and ensure the safety of seafarers and ships. International law, and UNCLOS in particular, already provides a comprehensive framework to strengthen maritime safety and security – what is required is the resolve of all States to uphold and apply it.  

Mr President, 

5        Allow me to offer some additional perspectives in my national capacity.  Singapore aligns itself with the statement to be made by the Philippines on behalf of ASEAN. As a small island developing State whose lifeline runs through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore - another critical maritime artery for the world economy - Singapore takes a clear and categorical position: transit passage in Straits Used for International Navigation is a right under international law and not a discretionary privilege that can be paid for or negotiated. Any erosion of international law in one region of the world inevitably sets a dangerous precedent for all others. The stakes are not theoretical. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore carries about 23.2 million barrels of oil per day, exceeding the 20.9 million barrels per day that used to flow through the Strait of Hormuz. 

6        At its narrowest point, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore stretches only two nautical miles in width. If the right of transit passage is not upheld, international navigation in the Straits could be completely disrupted. For Singapore and the world, the transit passage regime in UNCLOS is not an abstract question of legal doctrine, but one with real implications for global economic security and international stability. It is for this reason that Singapore strongly supported the declaration adopted by the International Maritime Organization Council on 19 March 2026, which reaffirms that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected. 

7        It is clear that we all stand to benefit from the safety and protection of critical waterways. We must work together to this end, and there are opportunities to do so. The Traffic Separation Scheme in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, adopted by the IMO in 1977 on the joint proposal of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore continues to regulate the safe and orderly passage of over 100,000 vessels a year. Building on this foundation, the Cooperative Mechanism on Safety of Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore was established in 2007 as the first practical implementation of Article 43 of UNCLOS which provides for cooperation between user states and states bordering a strait. It remains an essential platform to keep the Straits safe, open and clean, and includes not only the three littoral states, but also user States, the shipping industry and other stakeholders. The Cooperative Mechanism reflects the commitment of the three littoral States to abide by international law, including UNCLOS, and to work together in consensus on the effective management of the Straits.

8        Singapore will continue to contribute to the efforts of the international community to uphold a free and open Strait of Hormuz, support the shipping industry, and ensure the safety of all seafarers. Ultimately, we hope for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which will bring lasting peace and stability to our global commons. 

I thank you.