It has been four years since the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was launched by African leaders. The results since then have been mixed. While there has been progress in many areas — as evidenced by the Secretary-General’s third consolidated report on progress in implementation and…
It gives me great pleasure to participate in this meeting of the General Assembly devoted to a discussion of youth issues, and particularly to an evaluation of progress made in implementing the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond.
In the concluding recommendations of his…
A few weeks ago, a young Muslim lawyer in Singapore told me about a recent experience he had had in an East Asian airport. Unlike others holding Singaporean passports who were clearing immigration, he was told to stand aside. When he asked the reason, the immigration officer muttered that there were…
This is not the best of times for the United Nations. The Organization is under attack — and from many directions. However, tension between the interests of nations and the idea of the international community is inherent in the very nature of the State system. Seldom in the 60 years of its existence…
Mr. President, the Singapore delegation would like to thank you once again for leading this effort towards the 2005 summit, including organizing this series of meetings to discuss the report of the Secretary-General as a whole and then in clusters.
My delegation would like to congratulate Assistant…
Singapore cast its vote against this resolution because, in our view, it does not capture the diversity of the views that have been expressed on this important issue.
Four years ago, the General Assembly adopted resolution 56/93, endorsing the noble initiative put forward by France and Germany to b…
My delegation, too, would like to join preceding speakers in conveying our condolences to the Government and the people of Bangladesh and to the families of the nine Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed last Friday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
I would like to thank the Secretary-General for …
Mr. President, at the outset, I would like to thank you for having convened this resumed session of the fifty-ninth General Assembly. In associating myself with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, delivered on behalf of the members of the Assoc…
Let me first thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive progress report (S/2004/888) on the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) for the past 3 months. I would also like to pay tribute to Special Representative Sukehiro Hasegawa for his leadership, commitment and outstand…
At the outset, my delegation would like to thank and commend the Secretary-General for his excellent report on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations (A/59/303), and for his initiative in promoting such cooperation over the years. We would also like to welcome th…
Fourteen years ago, during my posting in New York, I recall participating in the debate and discussions on an agenda item entitled “Critical economic situation in Africa”. I can still recall vividly the rather pessimistic tone of the discussion at the time.
The debate took place at a time of great …
A year ago, Secretary- General Kofi Annan, in his statement to this body, announced that the United Nations had reached a fork in the road. He decided to establish a High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change to assess the current situation and to make recommendations on the way forward. In …
At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty- ninth session and to reaffirm Singapore’s full support for you. My predecessor worked with the last three Presidents of the Assembly as a facilitator in this area of work.…
First, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Jean Ping of Gabon, on his election as the President of the General Assembly.
We meet in New York under conditions of high security. All over the world, Governments, corporations and individuals are allocating vast resources to combat terrorism…
I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September, and to wish you every success as you and other members of the Security Council deal with several difficult issues on the Council’s agenda. I also join other deleg…
At the outset, we would like to associate ourselves with our colleagues in expressing our condemnation of the bombing that took place in Grozny. We express our condolences to the families of those who lost who lives and our sympathies to those who were wounded.
Thank you, Mr. President, for conveni…
After the events of 11 September 2001, it is not possible to realistically discuss the threat of the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction (WMD) without reference to terrorism. The global threat of WMD proliferation and the nexus between WMD proliferation and terrorism are of real and grave …
At the outset, Mr. President, I hope you will permit me to make a small procedural suggestion. In the past, during significant debates, the Council would, from time to time, allow non-Council members to speak first. I hope that that practice will be considered in due course when we have significant …
In the interests of saving time, I will not read out the full text of my explanation of position, as I believe the text will be circulated shortly.
At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation to you, Mr. President, for putting forward this important draft resolution, entitled “Follow-up …
Singapore voted in favour of the draft resolution on confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context, as we believe that confidence-building measures serve as a useful instrument in the promotion of regional peace and security. It is unfortunate that some of the debate surroundi…