SINGAPORE, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Singapore remains fully committed to supporting the United Nations’ (UN) efforts to strengthen multilateralism, including the upcoming Summit of the Future, said the republic’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Summit of the Future, to be held in New York from Sept 22 to 23, will bring together world leaders to accelerate efforts on existing international commitments, as well as take concrete steps to respond to emerging global challenges and opportunities.
Wong said he had a productive meeting on Monday with UN Secretary-General (UNSG) António Guterres, who is in Singapore for his first official visit to the island republic from Aug 31 to Sept 2.
“I conveyed Singapore’s deep appreciation for the Secretary-General’s steadfast commitment to the rules-based multilateral system, which is vital for small states like ours.
“Since assuming office in 2017, he has steered the UN through challenging times, from the COVID-19 pandemic to escalating geopolitical tensions,” he said on Facebook.
The prime minister said Guterres’ leadership in defending the UN Charter and upholding international law has been exemplary.
Wong added that the UNSG has consistently urged global leaders to address critical issues like poverty and climate change, even as they confront emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Singapore Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) said in a statement that Guterres also called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and they discussed practical ways to strengthen multilateral cooperation to effectively address the risks and opportunities of sustainable development and new technologies.
The UNSG also met with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and they had wide-ranging discussions covering global and regional developments.
A day earlier, Guterres was hosted to a tour of Marina Barrage and Punggol Regional Library.
MFA said a new orchid hybrid was named as Dendrobium António Guterres, in honour of the UNSG.
-- BERNAMA
