Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan is heading to New York for a week of high-level diplomacy as world leaders gather for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Balakrishnan will be in New York from Sept 22 to 28, with Singapore’s national statement scheduled for Sept 26 during the General Debate. The UN’s high-level week runs from Sept 22 to 29.
His visit comes as governments face a wide range of international challenges, including geopolitical tensions, regional security concerns, trade and the future of multilateral cooperation. Singapore has traditionally placed strong emphasis on a rules-based international system, particularly because smaller states rely heavily on international institutions and established rules.
During the visit, Balakrishnan will host the Global Governance Group ministerial meeting and a reception for the Forum of Small States. The Global Governance Group, or 3G, was established by Singapore in 2009 and brings together 30 small and medium-sized UN member states to coordinate their perspectives on major global issues.
He will also co-chair the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani and attend an ASEAN-Pacific Alliance ministerial meeting. These meetings provide platforms for discussions involving Southeast Asia, the Gulf region and other partners.
Balakrishnan is also scheduled to represent Singapore at several high-level events, including the Alliance of Small Island States leaders’ meeting, a ministerial meeting on implementing the two-state solution and a meeting focused on the Global Development Initiative.
Beyond the UN, he is expected to deliver a speech at the Asia Society and meet policymakers and academics to discuss regional geopolitics and emerging issues. He will also hold meetings with foreign counterparts as well as UN and US officials in New York.
The visit follows Balakrishnan’s recent diplomatic engagements in the region. Earlier in September, he co-chaired a Qatar-Singapore meeting in Doha, where the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation as well as concerns over maritime security and the need for safe, uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
For Singapore, the UN gathering provides an opportunity to raise its interests directly with a broad range of countries while strengthening relationships with other small states and regional partners.
With Balakrishnan’s national statement set for Sept 26 and multiple ministerial meetings scheduled around it, Singapore’s diplomatic agenda at this year’s UN General Assembly extends well beyond the main debate — with several key conversations expected to take place away from the UN podium.
