Shared global rules must be defended in increasingly fractured world: Vivian Balakrishnan

Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan warned that a world increasingly governed by “raw power”, where outcomes are determined by size, leverage and coercion, poses a “clear and present danger” to smaller states like Singapore.

He was delivering Singapore’s statement at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sunday (Sep 27).

Dr Balakrishnan made the case for multilateralism and international law, saying shared rules and norms provide predictability and protect the interests of countries large and small. He highlighted freedom of navigation and the global trading system as areas where international rules must be upheld, adding that bilateral and regional arrangements cannot replace rules that apply universally.

“This is the case for multilateralism: It's not some pie in the sky idealism, but a hard-headed recognition that cooperation ultimately serves all of us. For every state, large or small, a world governed by rules is infinitely better than one governed simply by the exercise of hard crude power,” Dr Balakrishnan said.

He also called for global cooperation on artificial intelligence as its capabilities advance, including common safeguards, testing and rules governing autonomous systems. Dr Balakrishnan said humans must ultimately remain in control and accountable, and raised the possibility of a UN framework convention on AI safeguards and an international institution to help set common standards.

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