Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman represented Singapore at the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza on 2 December 2024.
In his statement, Minister Maliki highlighted the need for more to be done to address the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Since the outbreak of the conflict, Singapore has sent five tranches of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Collectively, the Singapore Government and Singaporeans have contributed more than USD 13 million (or S$18 million) in cash and in-kind donations to relief efforts for Gaza. Minister Maliki reiterated Singapore’s call for the urgent, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire, as well as the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Minister Maliki also expressed Singapore’s appreciation to Egypt for their support in facilitating Singapore’s humanitarian aid to Gaza in November 2023 and January 2024. Singapore stands ready to join the international community in supporting the Palestinian people in Gaza as they seek to rebuild their lives after a ceasefire is reached.
Minister Maliki also met Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Mustafa on the sidelines of the Conference. Minister Maliki reaffirmed Singapore’s continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) capacity-building efforts. Minister Maliki conveyed Singapore’s decision to increase the number of annual scholarships offered under Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (ETAP) from three postgraduate scholarships to a total of 10 scholarships - five undergraduate and five postgraduate - for Palestinians to study in Singapore. Singapore hopes that these scholarships will contribute to the PA’s human capital development efforts in preparation for eventual statehood.
Separately, Minister Maliki met Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty. They reaffirmed the longstanding relations between Singapore and Egypt. Egypt was the first Arab country to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965. Both Ministers discussed the growing economic ties between our countries. Singapore is the 5th largest Asian investor in Egypt, with approximately USD 700 million of investments in Egypt. They discussed ways to expand our economic relations further. Minister Abdelatty welcomed the training programmes that Singapore had offered to Egypt. Over the years, the Singapore Cooperation Programme has trained around 700 Egyptian officials. Minister Maliki also expressed appreciation for Egypt’s continued support for our students at Al Azhar University and welcomed further collaboration on the new Singapore College of Islamic Studies.
Minister Maliki also had separate meetings with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdallah Bou Habib, Bahrain Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif Rashid Al Zayani and Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin.
The full transcript of Minister Maliki’s statement at the Conference is appended at Annex.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
3 DECEMBER 2024
Annex
MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE AND SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS DR MOHAMAD MALIKI OSMAN’S INTERVENTION AT THE CAIRO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE TO ENHANCE THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE IN GAZA IN CAIRO, EGYPT, 2 DECEMBER 2024
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I extend Singapore’s deep appreciation to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and His Excellency Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for convening this important conference.
Winter is fast approaching and Singapore remains deeply concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. We will need to do more to ensure that the civilians in Gaza do not suffer more hardship. This important conference is part of our combined efforts to help alleviate the situation. Singapore voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session resolution in October 2023, which called for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce. We also co-sponsored the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session resolution in December 2023, which supported the call for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law. Singapore reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire and for all parties to allow for the urgent, safe, and unhindered provision of humanitarian aid to affected civilians in Gaza. We also repeat our call for the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of all hostages. The suffering on all sides must end.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, Singapore has sent five tranches of humanitarian aid to Gaza. In early November 2023, I visited Egypt to witness the handover of our first tranche to the Egyptian Red Crescent. Later that month, Singapore deployed a Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft to El Arish with more supplies for Gaza. In January 2024, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deployed a medical team onboard the FS Dixmude, a French navy hospital ship docked at El Arish Port. Allow me to thank the Egyptian government for facilitating these efforts.
In March 2024, the Singapore Airforce deployed a C-130 aircraft to participate in a multinational operation led by Jordan to air-drop essential supplies to Gaza. In August 2024, Singapore worked with the UAE and Cyprus to send 300 tonnes of food aid to Gaza. These supplies are enroute. In November 2024, our fifth tranche of about USD 500,000 was conveyed to UNICEF. Collectively, the Singapore Government and Singaporeans have contributed more than USD 13 million (or S$18 million) in cash and in-kind donations to relief efforts for Gaza. We hope to do more and to continue to work with our friends in the region. The future needs of Gaza will be massive. Singapore stands ready to join the international community in supporting the Palestinian people as they seek to rebuild their lives after a ceasefire is reached. In the meantime, Singapore remains committed to supporting the Palestinian Authority’s capacity building efforts through our Enhanced Technical Assistance Package. Through this, we have trained more than 700 Palestinian officials so far.
Finally, I would like to reiterate Singapore’s longstanding position that a negotiated two-state solution consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions is the only viable path for achieving a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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