STATEMENT BY MS. JEAN KUA, DELEGATE TO THE 79TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ON AGENDA ITEM 86, ON THE PROTECTION OF PERSONS IN THE EVENT OF DISASTERS, SIXTH COMMITTEE, 4 OCTOBER 2024

Mr Chair,

1 Singapore thanks the Secretary-General for his past reports on this agenda item.

2 The protection of persons in the event of disasters is an important issue for the world. Singapore is located within the South-East Asia region, which is frequently affected by natural disasters, such as typhoons, monsoons and tropical storms. Other global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, are a reminder of how emergencies can happen on a global scale and therefore require global effort to ensure the protection of persons. Singapore reiterates its solidarity with countries affected by such disasters.

3 Singapore continues to follow with interest the discussion on whether to elaborate a convention on the basis of the draft Articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters. We highlight two factors that should underpin our discussions.

4 First, a laudable aspect of the draft Articles is how they reflect the diversity of State practice; this should be preserved regardless of the course of action taken on the draft Articles. We note, as an example, that draft Article 12, paragraph 2 provides that requested entities should expeditiously give due consideration and reply to the affected State. This is aligned with the corresponding article in the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, which has informed Singapore’s contributions to disaster relief efforts in our region.

5 Second, the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. States, being familiar with their own national contexts, are best placed to determine the necessary measures to reduce the risk of disasters.  States should also have the right to determine whether to provide, seek or receive assistance, even in times of disaster. We note that the draft Articles, in particular Articles 10 to 17, have attempted to strike a balance between the importance of disaster response and respecting the sovereignty of the affected States, by requiring the consent of affected States to external assistance and allowing them to impose conditions on such assistance.

Mr Chair,

6 The draft Articles are an important contribution to the field of international law governing response to disasters. They can serve as a useful guide for States and others engaged in disaster relief. We look forward to the fruitful discussions within the working group in the coming days.

7 Thank you.

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