United Nations Day 24 October 2013 Dinner at Mandarin Hotel Orchard Singapore

Welcome Speech by President

Honored Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

A very good evening to you and a warm welcome to this evening’s dinner  to commemorate the Anniversary of the UN and simultaneously to mark the International Year of Water Co-operation and the International Year of Quinoa.

This is the 68th year of the UN’s existence as a global organization charged with the responsibility to prevent war, promote development, protect human rights and uphold international law.

These challenges are at the core of the UN’s mission of peace into the future. We

may ask: Has the UN lived up to the expectations of its founders and more so by the

global community to-day? Or alternatively: What would be the shape of the world if there

was no United Nations? The League of Nations which preceded the United Nations had

failed. Would it not be possible that the United Nations too would meet a similar faith?

God forbid! This will not happen. Take my word for it not withstanding the perennial or

recurrent problems that continue to confront the UN but also the new global wide threats

to humanity and human survival itself. The countries that make up the world have

become more interdependent than ever. National borders have become more porous and

there is greater realization that issues and problems that arise cannot be solved by any one

country or even a group of countries. The penetration of the inter-net has made possible

mass protests and demonstrations against injustice in different parts of the world. At the

same time there is increasing demand for good governance and a rejection of corruption,

lack of transparency and accountability.

Co-operation and mutual accommodation of interest has become imperative. In short,

these developments offer both challenges and opportunities to the UN notwithstanding

the political turbulence in the Arab Middle East and other issues such the lingering

economic uncertainty, the ever present threat posed by nuclear and chemical weapons ( as shown by the recent use of sarine gas in the Syrian conflict) the resurgence of pandemic diseases, rising

inequality, religious extremism and international terrorism. All these call for greater unity

of purpose among all member states, not the least among the Permanent Members of the

Security Council.  In doing so, it is vitally important to uphold the value and sanctity of

life – a spiritual moral calling through the ages that is now under great stress as witness

the numerous deaths occurring daily due to man’s inhumanity to man. We have become

numbed to cruelty, violence and barbarity.

There is no doubt that the UN over the last 68 years have brought about great benefits to

mankind as a whole. Of course it could do better. Despite criticism, it has managed to

induct numerous former colonies or colonial possessions to full fledge independent states.

Many more are enjoying freedoms which they have never experienced before – freedom

from want, freedom from fear and freedom to charter their own lives. Access to basic

needs like food, clean water, shelter, health and education has improved according to the

recent UN Millennium Development Report.

Without the UN, millions will continue to suffer human rights abuse, discrimination and

marginalization. Without the UN, the earth’s finite resources could sooner or later be

exhausted leaving behind barren lands, polluted water courses, altered weather patterns

and the death of bio-diversity. These too are global wide problems that require global

wide response.  In this regard, it is pertinent to also remind ourselves that climate change

is real. Its potential threat to life is all there for us to see as witness the extremes of dry

and wet weather leading to floods and land slides on the one hand and desertification on

the other all over the world. Indeed, one could claim with justification on hindsight that

without the UN, the world could have been poorer and far less secure. Still there is much
more to be done.

On this occasion of the 68th anniversary of the UN, it is vital that we remind ourselves of

the aims and purposes of the UN and the responsibilities of member states to achieving them.

Given the ever growing complexity of the challenges that call for solution the world

needs the intervention of the UN more than ever, before they spiral out off control. To be

sure, the world order is changing and new players are knocking at the door for a

commensurate role in shaping outcomes whether in conflict resolution or in setting the

norms and targets for human development. In this regard, the UN must not compromise

on respect and adherence to international law by all member states irrespective. It is only

by faithful abidance to this precept that we may hope to see a safer world. What is

evident is that actions taken without the full support of the UN not only undermines the

authority of the UN but lead to mistakes and blunders that cost thousands of innocent

lives and widespread suffering among those who survive.

Thus, with the many uncertainties facing the world, it would be prudent for all states, the

powerful and less powerful, the established powers and the emerging powers to learn to

live with one another for the sake of peace and security. We owe it to future generations. Instead of preparing for war (as

evident from the arms race) countries should prepare for peace and co-operation guided

by a strong sense of shared future. Similarly, for global peace to prevail, the plight of a

quarter of mankind who continue to live in poverty, without access to clean water and

sanitation, hopefully will prick the conscience of those more fortunate to an appropriate response.  UNAS will continue to do its part with your support and help by

working closely with the UN and its various Programs,, Specialized Agencies and Commissions as has been

our practice. We invite you to join us in welcoming the International Year of Water and

the International Year of Quinoa and to reflect on the underlying messages for us all.

That Singaporeans should support and take an active part in UN affairs is all too clear to

need explanation. Older generations will remember that we are where we are, owed much

to the technical and planning expertise offered by the UN through the UNDP especially

in the early decades of Singapore’s development history. Our claim to be a global city

implies that we are both citizens of Singapore as well as citizens of the world. Indeed, one might say that the world is Singapore’s hinterland from which we derive benefits but equally contribute to the improvement of the lives of others.

Thank you for your kind attention and thank you for your presence and support of this evening’s dinner. Have a pleasant and enjoyable time.