Minister of State Sam Tan and US Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski exchanged views on developments in the Arctic [Photo: MFA] During the course of the 11th Conference of Parliamentarians in the Arctic Region (11th CPAR), which was held in the city of Whitehorse in northern Canada, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth Mr Sam Tan briefed the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in Whitehorse, Canada, on 9 September 2014, on Singapore’s contributions as an Observer in the Arctic Council. These contributions include Singapore’s active participation in an exchange of views and experiences at the technical level in the Council’s subsidiary bodies on a range of issues relevant to the Arctic such as Arctic shipping, maritime traffic management, the Polar Code, oil spill management as well as the tracking and protection of Arctic migratory birds. Mr Tan also held fruitful bilateral exchanges with the US Senator of Alaska Ms Lisa Murkowski, Chairman of the newly-launched Arctic Economic Council Mr Tom Paddon, as well as with representatives of the delegation of Finland, the West Nordic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee.
The 11th CPAR subsequently adopted a Statement to reaffirm, among other things, the commitment of the Arctic parliamentarians to improve cooperation and promote sustainable development in the Arctic against a backdrop of a transformative change in the region driven by climate change and globalisation.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
11 SEPTEMBER 2014