Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong delivered remarks virtually at the World Peace Conference on 5 December, organised by the government of Bangladesh. The theme of the conference is “Advancing Peace through Social Inclusion”. ESM’s speech was delivered at the closing ceremony of the event.
The full text is appended.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
5 DECEMBER 2021
ESM Goh Chok Tong's remarks at the World Peace Conference, 5 December 2021
Your Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1 Thank you for inviting me to speak at the inaugural World Peace Conference. Singapore extends our warmest congratulations to the people of Bangladesh on its 50th year of independence.
2 The World Peace Conference is an apt tribute to cap off the celebration of the centennial birth anniversary of Bangladesh’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The conference highlights his ideals of democracy, empowerment, and poverty reduction.
3 Singapore was the first ASEAN country to recognise Bangladesh in 1972. Our ties have grown since then. I visited Bangladesh as Prime Minister in 2004 and acquired a better understanding of its aspirations and challenges. Next year, our two countries will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations.
4 Beyond political interactions, a key focus of our relationship is economic collaboration. Many Singapore companies have invested in Bangladesh, especially in the energy, agri-processing, and infrastructure sectors.
5 Bangladesh is well-positioned to be a gateway between South Asia and Southeast Asia. Singapore’s PSA International has been working closely with the Chittagong Port Authority and other partners on the Bay Terminal Project at Chittagong. This container terminal, when implemented, will enable Bangladesh to capitalise on its favourable geographical location. It will increase the flow of goods through Bangladesh.
6 Today, I would like to highlight three global issues that relate to the theme of “Advancing Peace through Social Inclusion”.
7 First, the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not just a global health crisis which has disrupted our economy and lives. It is also a severe stress test of global cooperation, national governance and the resilience of our economies and societies.
8 The pandemic has had the greatest impact on the vulnerable. They find it more difficult to cope with health and economic challenges than those who are better resourced. They need to be helped and supported, i.e. socially included. Countries may differ in their societal make-up, whether in terms of ethnicity, religion, language, or politics. But the underlying mission of all governments must be the same – inclusive progress. The fruits of economic growth must be shared equitably. To reduce income inequality and political discontent, we must improve social mobility. This applies not just within countries but also between countries. To advance world peace, there must be multilateral cooperation to generate and spread growth. Otherwise, economic migrants from poorer countries will flow unabated to richer countries.
9 The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the supply chain of critical products. Many countries are onshoring the production of these products for national security reasons and subsidising these industries heavily. This reconfiguration of supply chains and trade patterns will have a further adverse impact on emerging economies.
10 The second global challenge is climate change. It is an existential threat for mankind. Low-lying countries like Singapore and Bangladesh are particularly vulnerable. Rising sea levels and changing weather patterns will disrupt our lives and livelihoods. As is the case with COVID-19, the most vulnerable countries and the most vulnerable within countries will suffer disproportionately.
11 It is critical to maintain the momentum from the recently concluded COP 26 and turn pledges into action. Green energy is more expensive, at least in the foreseeable future. But we must remain firm in our commitment to transition to clean energy. Here, Singapore companies have collaborated with Bangladesh to build and operate a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Mymensingh, about 100km north of Dhaka.
12 The third global issue that stands in the way of world peace is also the one that I am most worried about. COVID-19 and climate change are exogenous events. But geo-political power rivalry is endogenous in global governance. It is also a fact of life since time immemorial. The US-China relationship defines the policy space for all national governments to operate in an interconnected global economy. Unfortunately, there is a trust deficit between them. The US is ideological on advancing democracy and championing human rights outside their own country. China sees this as an American strategy to contain its growth. They are distrustful of each other’s long-term intentions. The more China grows, the narrower the economic, technological, and military gap between China and the US will become. The narrower the gap is, the more the US will take actions and rally allies to deal with real or perceived threats posed by a superpower China. Any clash between these two superpowers will be disastrous, particularly for Asia. It will derail Asia’s efforts to achieve peace and prosperity for its people.
13 Are we helpless bystanders? No. We can be the voice of reason, the voice of moderation. We must reinvigorate multilateral and regional collaboration in pursuit of shared peace and prosperity. Let us voice out our desire and support for a stable, rules-based multilateral world order. Here Singapore and Bangladesh share common principles and positions. We collaborate well at international and regional fora. Bangladesh is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Singapore welcomes your interest in becoming a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN. We are members of the Asia-Europe Meeting. Singapore also welcomes Bangladesh’s Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, which Singapore is a member of.
14 We can be the voice of cooperation and peace. We can let the superpowers know where we stand, and the peace, prosperity and social inclusion we seek. Hence, Singapore’s support for the World Peace Conference.
15 Thank you.
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