WORLD TRADE WT/CTE/W/54
WT/COMTD/W/30
4August 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3301)
Committee onTrade andEnvironment Original: English
Committee onTrade andDevelopment
STATEMENT BYPRIME MINISTER GOH CHOK TONG OFTHE
REPUBLIC OFSINGAPORE ATTHE 19TH SPECIAL SESSION
OFTHE UNGENERAL ASSEMBLY
ONTUESDAY, 24JUNE 1997
Communication bySingapore
1. Since theRioSummit, therehasbeenconsiderable progress inthecodification ofinternational
environmental lawinmany areas, including climate change, desertification andbiological diversity.
There isalsodeeper awareness thatwemust work together tomeet theglobal problems thataffect
allofus.
2. Butrecognizing theproblems doesnotguarantee theirsolution. The"Grand Bargain" struck
atRiomayunravel. Many industrialized countries aretoday struggling torestructure their own
economies andcopewithslowgrowth andhighunemployment. Global environmental problems are
remote tomany oftheirordinary citizens whoaremore concerned withthreats totheirownstandard
ofliving. Thepolitical willtoprovide assistance thatdeveloping countries urgently needtoimplement
Agenda 21isweakening. Commitments made atRiohavenotbeenfulfilled.
3. Even when afar-sighted vision exists, ithasoften proved difficult toforge aclearconsensus
foraction. Forexample, VicePresident AlGore tooktheleadtopushforthegreening ofAmerican
foreign policy which could generate newinternational momentum. ButtheSenate alsorecently voted
todeny USfunding fortheUNFramework Convention onClimate Change. Thisillustrates the
complexities faced bytheNorth.
4. TheSouth feels, correctly, thatsacrificing growth willonlyperpetuate injustice. Developing
countries deem itunreasonable thattheyarerequired toaddress long-term environmental problems
attheexpense ofimmediate needs. Itisunfair toexpect thepoortoalone bearthecosts ofreducing
global environmental risks, especially when mostofthose risksareattributable topastactions bythe
affluent. Without adequate funding, sustainable development isonlyaslogan. Theconcept hasalso
become entangled withbroader debates overissues thatarenotdirectly relevant totheprotection of
theenvironment. Thishasfuelled suspicion thatenvironmental issues arenowbeing usedbytheNorth
asdisguised protectionism tokeepdeveloping countries down.
5. Singaporeisinbetweenthedevelopedanddevelopingworlds.Oureconomytodayhasrelatively
sophisticatedserviceandindustrialsectors.Butwearevulnerabletounfavourableexternaldevelopments.
Wedefine ourinternational identity asamember oftheGroup of77andtheNon-aligned Movement.
Wewatch thepost-Rio re-emergence ofNorth-South divisions overtheenvironment withdeepand
growing concern.
6. Environmental interdependence isastarkandinescapable reality. Wehavenoillusions about
thenecessity foraconcerted andcontinuing international effort. Singapore played aroletoforge aWT/CTE/W/54
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North-South consensus before andduring theRioSummit. Butwearerealistic inunderstanding that
those circumstances were unique. What asmall country candoalone afterRioisinsignificant.
7. Onlytheleadership ofamajor global economy canrenew andreinvigorate theglobal impact.
Sowhen Chancellor Helmut Kohl invited Singapore tojoinGermany, South Africa andBrazil in
launching anewinitiative atthisSpecial Session, Ididnothesitate. Germany facesthesameimmediate
challenges asother developed economies. ButChancellor Kohlhastheconviction andcourage toact
upon alarger vision. Hedeserves support. Itisinourinterest togivehimsupport.
8. Wearefourcountries fromfourdifferent continents, atdifferent levels ofdevelopment, facing
different environmental problems. Ourmodest initiative addresses thepriorities ofbothNorth and
South. Wehope thatourability towork together cancatalyse broader international action anda
continuing North-South partnership.
9. Singapore, asmall, densely populated urbanized island, takes theenvironment seriously.
Otherwise ourcountry willnotbeliveable. Weaimtomake ourquality ofliving evenbetter. Our
experiences maynotbedirectly transferable tootherdeveloping countries. Butoursuccess inachieving
highstandards ofenvironmental protection inanurban setting maybeofinterest tosome.
10. Thenewproposalsthatwelaunchedyesterdaywithourpartnersfora"DecadefortheSustainable
Production andUseofEnergy", fora"Conference onSustainable Urban Development", andfor
"Environmentally Acceptable Transport", areareas inwhich Singapore paysgreat attention.
11. Nocountry hasalltheanswers. Singapore learns allthetimefrom others, theirsuccesses
andmistakes. Cooperation isnecessary tosolving global problems ofsustainable development.
12. Itisinthisspirit thatInowannounce theSingapore Technical Assistance Programme for
Sustainable Development (STAPSD) fordeveloping countries [seeAnnex I].TheTechnical Assistance
Programme willinclude urban planning, management ofparks andtransportation. Wehope this
Programme willhelpdeveloping countries implement some aspects ofAgenda 21.What acountry
withapopulation ofthreemillion candoglobally isonlyadropintheocean. ButweoffertheSingapore
Technical Assistance Programme onSustainable Development asatangible token ofourseriousness
topromote greater cooperation insustainable development. Wehopethatitwillencourage thelarger
andmore prosperous countries oftheNorth tofulfil theircommitments andjoinusinwhatmustbe
aglobal endeavour.WT/CTE/W/54
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ANNEX I
THE SINGAPORE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (STAPSD)
1. Consisting ofUS$3 million overthenextthreeyears, theSTAPSD isaprogramme oftechnical
assistance tohelpdeveloping countries implement Agenda 21.Thetraining willbeconducted in
Singapore andcover awide variety ofareas, including solid waste management, coastal marine
environmentmanagement,urbanenvironmentalmanagement,environmentalhealth,airpollutioncontrol
andwaste water treatment.
2. Among thecourses are:
(a) building services;
(b) water supply engineering;
(c) urban industrial environmental management;
(d) hydrological monitoring inenvironment impact assessments;
(e) operation andmaintenance ofrefuse transfer station andincineration plant;
(f) planning andconstruction ofurban drainage system;
(g) environmental monitoring andassessment; and
(h) pollutant standard index.
Developing countries areinvited tosubmit application fortheabove programmes to:
Technical Co-operation Directorate
Ministry ofForeign Affairs
#07-00 Raffles CityTower
North Bridge Road
Singapore 179101
Tel: +65/336.1177
Fax: +65/330.5900
orthrough:
Singapore Permanent Mission totheUNinNewYork
231East51stStreet
NewYork, N.Y. 10022
Tel: +1.212/826.0840
Fax: +1.212/826.2964
Weexpect aclass sizeofabout 20participants foreachcourse. Depending ontheresponse tothe
STAPSD, thenumber oftraining places canbeincreased forfuture courses.
3. What asmall country likeSingapore candoisnecessarily limited. ButtheSTAPSD isaconcrete
token ofourcommitment toSouth-South cooperation forsustainable development. Wehopethatthe
STAPSD canhaveacatalytic effect toencourage other larger andmore prosperous countries tofulfil
theircommitments andhelpdeveloping countries meetenvironmental challenges.