Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan delivered Singapore’s nationwide assertion on the General Debate of the 80^th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on 27 September 2025.

 

 

Addressing the General Assembly, Minister Balakrishnan spoke of accelerating world uncertainty on account of the redistribution of financial, technological and navy power, and its implications within the worldwide safety, financial and humanitarian dimensions. Notwithstanding the challenges, Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed Singapore’s conviction that multilateralism and worldwide legislation, anchored within the United Nations and UN Charter, remained important for advancing world peace and prosperity.  He additionally highlighted cases of fruitful worldwide cooperation to handle world challenges, together with Singapore’s contributions in serving to to strengthen the normative framework for cybersecurity, governance of the oceans with the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, in addition to establishing world pointers for the administration of mental property with the World Intellectual Property Organization Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge and the Riyadh Design Law Treaty.

 

 

Minister Balakrishnan additionally underscored the crucial for reform of the multilateral system, and strengthened Singapore’s assist for initiatives geared toward making the UN simpler, responsive, and ready to harness the potential of rising applied sciences like AI as a power for good.  Singapore stays dedicated to working with all UN Members to strengthen the UN and the multilateral system.

 

 

The transcript of Minister Balakrishnan’s nationwide assertion is appended.

 

 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

28 SEPTEMBER 2025

 

 

 

 

NATIONAL STATEMENT BY

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN TO THE

80^TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

NEW YORK, 27 SEPTEMBER 2025

 

“Renewing Our Commitment to Multilateralism in an Era of Turbulence”

 

 

Mdm President, Your Excellencies,

 

Eight Decades of Peace and Prosperity

 

1 The 80 years for the reason that finish of the Second World War has been a singular interval in historical past. The first half of the 20^th century was amongst the bloodiest intervals recognized to mankind.

 

 

2 However, the victors of World War Two have been most uncommon. Instead of gathering the spoils and imposing their wills on the vanquished, they determined that it was in their very own enlightened self-interest to construct and underwrite a system the place sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence of every nation, massive or small, can be protected. Where the interactions of states – in safety, commerce, growth – have been based on a set of generally agreed guidelines, worldwide legislation, and belief. The final objectives have been peace, prosperity and progress for all. And the centrepiece of this was the United Nations and the UN Charter.

 

 

3 The UN Charter offered the framework to manipulate the interactions between sovereign states. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stood because the principal judicial organ of the UN, providing states a discussion board to settle disputes underneath the rule of legislation, peacefully. For small states, it was a world that operated on rules and worldwide legislation, the place may didn’t make proper.

 

 

4 The stability and predictability supplied by this method allowed all nations to develop their economies, leverage on each other’s strengths, and to speed up growth. There was unparalleled dissemination of expertise, concepts, and mental property. Trade grew considerably, and corporations constructed world provide chains primarily based on the rules of comparative benefit and effectivity. Singapore, as a tiny metropolis state within the coronary heart of Southeast Asia, a small and open economic system – we rode on these mega-trends. That is why in 60 years a hardworking and disciplined folks have constructed our per capita GDP from US$500 in 1965 to round US$85,000 right this moment.

 

 

5 This multilateral system, based on worldwide legislation, additionally helped us to handle the worldwide commons. For occasion, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) units out the authorized framework inside which all actions within the oceans and seas should be carried out. It grants freedom of navigation and overflight as a common proper – essential for an island metropolis state like Singapore which is determined by commerce. It additionally offers the muse for coordinating world efforts on sea-level rise, air pollution, and the lack of biodiversity.

 

 

6 Meanwhile, specialised UN businesses, such because the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), set widespread guidelines and requirements to boost security and effectivity of all these important arteries.

 

 

7 Of course, the system was not excellent. The guidelines weren’t all the time utilized equally, and worldwide legislation was not all the time revered. But however there was a transparent framework, and folks and states knew what was proper and what was improper.

 

 

8 The first few many years after 1945 have been marked by decolonisation and the enlargement of the membership of the UN. The Cold War spawned a number of proxy wars world wide, together with some in our area. But fortunately, as a world, we prevented one other world struggle between superpowers. Mutually assured destruction deterred using nuclear weapons – though everyone knows there have been a number of shut shaves.

 

 

9 For small, newly unbiased states and particularly for these of us who have been capable of obtain nationwide cohesion and efficient governance, the final 80 years, on the entire, was a beneficial interval of peace, prosperity, and progress.

 

 

A Dangerous and Uncertain Era

 

Mdm President, Excellencies,

 

10 However, the post-War world order that I’ve simply described has come to an finish. The present distribution of financial weight, technological sophistication and navy power right this moment could be very totally different from the world of 1945. It is apparent that the UN and the opposite worldwide organisations haven’t developed to maintain up with the instances.

 

 

A More Turbulent World

 

11 Add one other issue – the first underwriters of the outdated world order have now determined to take a extra transactional, a narrower view of their nationwide pursuits, and are much less prepared to supply public items. The sharper strategic context between super-powers has additionally made them much less capable of cooperate, much less capable of underwrite, much less capable of handle the worldwide commons.

 

 

12 Consequently, right this moment the world has develop into extra turbulent, extra unsure, and in some locations, extra violent. The erosion of respect for the rules of the UN Charter; the egregious violations of worldwide legislation and worldwide humanitarian legislation have sadly develop into extra widespread; as have violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

 

13 The present wars which all of us witness within the Middle East, Ukraine, and elements of Africa mirror this tragedy. In all battle zones, too many harmless lives are misplaced, preventable famines happen, and impunity abounds. The humanitarian scenario in Gaza is dire and stunning. Singapore hopes there will probably be a right away ceasefire, a right away and unconditional launch of all hostages, and for quick entry to humanitarian assist, meals, and medical look after the civilians in Gaza. 

 

 

14 Singapore will recognise the State of Palestine when it has an efficient authorities that accepts Israel’s proper to exist and categorically renounces terrorism. Singapore can not recognise any unilateral annexation of occupied territory as a result of this could be a flagrant breach of worldwide legislation. If the scenario continues to deteriorate, or if Israel takes additional steps to extinguish a two-State answer, we are going to then should rethink our place on when to recognise a Palestinian State.

 

 

15 In Ukraine, a everlasting member of the Security Council has to adjust to the UN Charter. We should additionally not overlook the victims in Sudan and different battle zones all through the world.

 

 

Multilateral Trading System Disrupted

 

Mdm President, Excellencies,

 

16 The geopolitical shifts have additionally disrupted the multilateral buying and selling system. Decades of progressive commerce liberalisation and investments expanded alternatives and prosperity all around the globe. But right this moment, these are in danger. The tariffs and export controls are getting used as levers to safe unilateral benefit, together with generally, to handle non-trade associated points. The repudiation of the precept of Most Favoured Nation (MFN), which is a cornerstone of the WTO and GATT programs, erodes a clear rules-based multilateral system, giving method to a system the place commerce agreements approximate bilateral arm-wrestling matches. It is apparent that this will probably be to the detriment of small, trade-dependent states all over the place.

 

 

Management of Global Commons Hamstrung

 

17 In such a fragmented world, we danger compounding the tragedy of the commons as a result of collective motion for long run good turns into much more elusive. Climate change and pandemics are existential issues that no single nation can resolve on their very own. If I’ll add, all of us must base our choices on scientific proof and a dedication to equity – each to present and future generations.

 

 

Doubling Down on Multilateralism

 

18 Notwithstanding this prevailing pessimism, Singapore believes that the multilateral system and worldwide legislation, underpinned by the UN, nonetheless stays the easiest way to uphold world peace and prosperity in a good and inclusive means. As a small state, we can not afford to be passive, or fatalistic, or pessimistic. In truth, we’re right here to name on all of us to double down on multilateralism based on worldwide legislation.

 

 

19 Even small states and center powers have the company and we’ve got strategic autonomy to collectively defend our long-term nationwide pursuits and the worldwide commons. Singapore will assist the UN80 course of to strengthen this establishment and the multilateral system.

 

 

Continued Commitment to Multilateralism

 

20 The excellent news is that really the multilateral system nonetheless works. Let me cite a number of success tales.

 

a.              The BBNJ Agreement will enter into power on 17 January 2026. Earlier this week, we exceeded the 60 ratifications essential to convey this into power. It is a legally binding treaty to preserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity past nationwide jurisdiction. We congratulate Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee of Singapore who presided over these very tough negotiations that led finally to the consensus, and I emphasise the phrase consensus, adoption of the historic BBNJ Agreement in June 2023.

 

b.              In July, to quote one other instance, we achieved consensus on the Final Report of the Open-Ended Working Group on Cybersecurity, which strengthened the normative framework for accountable State behaviour in cybersecurity. We additionally agreed to determine the Global Mechanism on Cybersecurity as a everlasting dwelling for this work on the UN. Mr Burhan Gafoor, the PR of Singapore to the UN, had the honour and the burden of chairing this Open-Ended Working Group over the previous 5 years.

 

c.              To provide you with a 3rd instance, in 2024, two World Intellectual Property Organization Treaties on IP, the Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge (GRATK) and the Riyadh Design Law Treaty (RDLT) have been concluded underneath the management of Mr Daren Tang.

 

 

21 These three examples exhibit that even in these fractured, fractious instances, it’s attainable to come back collectively to handle our world commons, and to attain settlement and consensus. This doesn’t imply that we are going to all the time attain settlement on each difficulty however it’s important that the UN stays an enviornment for continued dialogue and discussions in order that compromises could be reached, options could be discovered, even for probably the most hotly contested points.

 

 

22 The key to the multilateral system for small states is worldwide legislation. On this word, I’m proud to share that Singapore will nominate Ambassador Rena Lee as a candidate for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the principal judicial organ of the UN. Our nomination underscores Singapore’s deep dedication to upholding worldwide legislation, and assist for the ICJ. If elected, Ambassador Lee will solely be the second particular person and the primary girl from Southeast Asia to serve on this Court.

 

 

The Imperative for Reform

 

Mdm President, Excellencies,

 

23 Just because the world has modified dramatically within the final 80 years, it’s also clear that the UN must reform to be match for the following stretch. We want a extra consultant and a extra inclusive UN that displays present realities.

 

 

24 The UN Charter confers on the UN Security Council the “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security”. It clearly wants reform to higher fulfil this mandate. The rising, and if I’ll add, cynical use of vetoes by the P5 should be constrained and the broader UN membership should attain settlement on how this veto is to be exercised sooner or later. We commend the position performed by the Elected Members of the Council, which provides the broader membership of the UN better company in addressing the urgent problems with the day. We additionally consider it is very important strengthen the connection between the Security Council and the General Assembly.

 

 

25 We want a UN that delivers for actual folks on the bottom. Clean water. Education. Pandemic preparedness. Social mobility. Jobs. And a global monetary structure that delivers stability, prospects of progress for all. These are the constructing blocks for sustainable growth and human dignity. The commitments made on the Summit of the Future final yr signaled our collective resolve to implement the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

 

 

26 The UN must be future-ready and to harness the potential of rising applied sciences like AI as a power for good, for all. Early, constructive and inclusive multilateral engagement is important. AI’s transformative power can assist battle prevention, peacekeeping, and humanitarian operations. But you all know that there are additionally downsides and risks, and it requires guardrails, in order that it may be harnessed responsibly.

 

 

Our Collective Responsibility

 

Mdm President, Excellencies,

 

27 The first Foreign Minister of Singapore stated it finest sixty years in the past in 1965: “Despite cynics who focus attention on its many shortcomings, Singapore has faith in the future of the United Nations simply because without it there is no worthwhile future for humanity.”

 

 

28 These phrases nonetheless ring true right this moment. So collectively, allow us to be certain that this establishment continues to function humanity’s finest hope for peace and prosperity for all of us.

 

 

Thank you, Excellencies.

 

 

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