Singapore FM asks to uphold multilateral system amid unprecedented challenges

UNITED NATIONS -- Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Saturday stressed the importance of upholding the inclusive and rules-based multilateral system amid multiple challenges.

"The post-World War II era of relative stability and prosperity has, in fact, unfortunately, come to an end," he told the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

"Will we have a more divided, less prosperous, and less peaceful world? Or, can we strengthen multilateralism and the United Nations to deal with the challenges of the future, to uphold and strengthen the rules-based international system, and to jointly harness the opportunities offered by new technologies?" he asked.

"Singapore believes that the only way forward is to uphold the inclusive and rules-based multilateral system that has underwritten peace and progress for all of us since World War II," said Balakrishnan.

The experience of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that "multilateral cooperation is the only way forward," he said, adding that humanity shares one planet, and people's destinies are interwoven.

"No one is safe until all of us are safe. This applies to pandemics, but also to climate change, the conservation of the oceans, and many other shared challenges," he said.

The multilateral system, which has contributed greatly to global peace and security, is now being severely tested. The prospects for international cooperation have weakened considerably and the temptation for unilateralism has become even stronger, he warned.

Recovery from COVID-19 remains uneven and fragile, the global economy is entering a period characterized by higher and prolonged inflation, and the climate crisis is a clear and present threat, the diplomat noted.

This is a moment when multilateralism must be defended and fortified, said Balakrishnan, noting that responses to these myriad opportunities and challenges must remain rooted in the foundational tenet of multilateralism, including especially adherence to the UN Charter and international law.

"It is in the world's interests -- and in our own long-term interests -- to set aside our differences, to address the challenges of the global commons, and to harvest the emerging opportunities provided by new technologies," Balakrishnan added.