Toast by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at dinner hosted in honour of Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary-General, 23 Mar 2012

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Mrs Ban Soon-taek
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

1.    It is my privilege to welcome Secretary-General Ban, Mrs Ban, and his distinguished delegation back to Singapore.

2.    Let me first congratulate Secretary-General Ban on his unanimous re-election by the UN General Assembly last year. Secretary-General Ban’s re-election reflects the international community’s confidence in his leadership.

3.    We live in an increasingly inter-connected and inter-dependent world. On the whole, this has benefitted most countries. International trade and investment have increased enormously, enabling countries to grow and lifting millions out of poverty. But at the same time, globalisation has linked countries much more intimately. Political and social moods sweep from country to country, as happened in the Middle East and North Africa. Economic problems are quickly transmitted around the world, for example during the Global Financial Crisis.

4.    No single country can solve the world’s problems by itself. All must play their part in managing our shared challenges, be it climate change, international terrorism or nuclear proliferation. In this environment, the UN and UN Secretary-General play even more important roles. They broker multi-national solutions for international problems. They ensure a level playing field with common rules of the game that apply to all countries, big and small.

5.    Singapore has been a member of the UN for 47 years. The UN is an important body for small nation-states like ourselves. It remains the only global body with universal participation and legitimacy. Through the UN, small states like Singapore have a voice in international affairs.

6.    That is why Singapore has always supported the UN. We have participated in UN peacekeeping operations, and collaborated with UN agencies to offer technical assistance to developing countries, in particular under our Singapore Cooperation Programme.

7.    Singapore has also established channels for the UN to engage other groups of countries. For example, we set up the Global Governance Group, or the 3G, to strengthen links between the UN and the G20. We also set up the Forum of Small States (FOSS) to discuss issues of mutual interest at the UN. This year marks the FOSS’s 20th anniversary. FOSS now has 101 members, and continues to be a useful platform for its members. We appreciate the Secretary-General’s strong support of the FOSS.

8.    Singapore will continue to support the UN’s priorities, such as in sustainable development, which the Secretary-General described as a “Generational Imperative” in his Five-Year Action Agenda. Being resource-constrained ourselves, we will continue to support international efforts to promote sustainable development. We will do our part to work towards a successful outcome at the “Rio+20” UN Conference. We are happy to share our experiences with sustainable resource management. One example is water, which is strategically important to Singapore. I hope that the Secretary-General had a fruitful visit to our NEWater Visitor Centre today.

9.    I am also happy that ASEAN-UN relations have deepened over the years. ASEAN has been an Observer at the UN and its General Assembly since 2006. The Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the UN that was adopted at the 4th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bali last November provides a framework for future cooperation between ASEAN and the UN.

10.    Secretary-General, the relations between Singapore and the UN are comprehensive, mutually beneficial and in excellent shape. I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen in the years ahead.


Excellencies
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

11.    May I now invite you to rise and join me in a toast to:

a.    The continued good health of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mrs Ban Soon-taek; and

b.    The continued success of the United Nations.

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