STATEMENT BY MS DIANE TAN, DELEGATE TO THE 75TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ON AGENDA ITEM 114, ON MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, SIXTH COMMITTEE, 6 OCTOBER 2020

1 Mr Chairman, my delegation congratulates you on your election and assures you and the members of your bureau of Singapore’s full support during this session. We thank the bureau and the secretariat for your efforts on the working arrangements for this session. We also thank the Secretary General for his report on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism” in document A/75/176.

2 The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented public health challenge and has severely affected the global economy. Even as governments around the world work to protect their citizens and keep their economies afloat, terrorist groups continue to exploit the situation to instil fear and hatred, undermine social cohesion, and radicalise and recruit members. We must stay vigilant and continue to push ahead with our counter-terrorism efforts.

3 International terrorism continues to pose a clear and persistent threat to international peace and security. Terrorism runs contrary to the rule of law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Singapore strongly condemns all acts of terrorism and reiterates its commitment to the global fight against it.

4 International terrorism remains a long-term, and increasingly complex challenge that all countries must work to address domestically, regionally and internationally. In this regard, I wish to highlight three points on Singapore’s counter-terrorism efforts.

5 First, at the national level, Singapore has adopted a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. The government is working to continually build on the capabilities of our security services. At the same time, we recognise the important role that the public plays in countering terrorism. In 2016, we launched the SGSecure movement to mobilise ordinary Singaporeans to play their part in preventing and responding to a terrorist attack, and we continue to encourage and deepen the community’s participation in national safety and security efforts through this movement. To combat money-laundering and terrorist financing, Singapore has in place a cohesive framework involving coordination across multiple government agencies, public-private partnerships as well as a rigorous regulatory regime backed by strong enforcement and strict penalties to serve as a deterrent. In 2019, the government amended the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act to strengthen national counter-terrorism financing frameworks to more effectively tackle such offences.

6 Second, Singapore recognises the effectiveness that a collective regional approach can have in countering the threat of terrorism, and remains actively engaged with our regional counterparts for this purpose. Singapore engages in robust defence and security cooperation with its neighbours through joint exercises, such as the Sulu-Sulawesi Straits Patrol and the Malacca Straits Patrol. Our security officials also use relevant regional platforms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Our Eyes Initiative, which was adopted in 2018, to exchange strategic information on terrorism, radicalism and violent extremism. In addition, Singapore closely cooperates with international organisations such as INTERPOL to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts within the region. 

7 Third, at the international level, Singapore remains committed to the global counter-terrorism effort. Singapore is party to 15 international counter-terrorism agreements, including the 2014 Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (the 2014 Montreal Protocol), which entered into force this year. Singapore is also fully committed to the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and we regret that present circumstances have required the postponement of both the seventh review of this Strategy as well as the second UN High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States.  We look forward to engaging again with other Member States at these platforms as soon as it is safe to do so.

8 Last year, the General Assembly recommended that the Sixth Committee, at its seventy-fifth session, establish a working group with a view to finalising the process on the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism as well as discussions on the item included in its agenda by Assembly resolution 54/110 concerning the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations. 

9 Singapore looks forward to participating in fruitful discussions in the working group at this session of the Sixth Committee, and to working closely with the Chair and the members of the working group on a consensual resolution of the outstanding issues on the draft convention.

10 Thank you.

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