Diplomats are always on the move. Every three years or so, one is off to a new land, to new challenges. While it was caravans in the past, it's a container these days that is shipped along. This summer, it is my turn to make a move again.

When my wife and I arrived in Singapore three years ago, it was our first time in Asia, after years spent in the Americas and Europe, of course. Now as we prepare to leave, we will take bags of fond memories to our next posting; memories of Singapore and South-east Asia in all its cultural diversity, its vibrant economies, its beautiful landscapes and, most of all, its friendly people.

Ahead of our departure, I would like to share some thoughts and observations as captured in my private diary.

1. Covid-19 has not only brought serious illness and death to the world, it has also implanted Lebensangst, the loss of trust in resilience, in many of us. And coldness. We need to regain trust in each other again, to show warmth and affection and not treat everyone as potential messengers of death. Social distancing serves its purpose but it can't be a recipe for all time. It has the power to lead to social division, perhaps the most serious danger our societies face these days.

2. We must stop the blame game. Covid-19 is a powerful reminder of nature's enduring power. There have been other pandemics before and we must prepare for Covid-19 not to be the last of its kind. We must remain reasonable. Extremists around the world are trying to make use of conspiracy theories to gain support for their cause. If it were true that the virus was engineered by some villain to harm others, then surely it has backfired badly, given that no one has been spared from its deadly impact. So let's debunk these conspiracy theories before the damage they cause gets out of control as well.

3. Let us not argue about which political system is superior in the battle against Covid-19. The virus has spread at breakneck speed across the world. We were all caught off guard, we all made mistakes and we all paid a heavy price in our efforts to contain the virus and limit its collateral damage. Liberal systems, like the one in Germany, did not do too badly in containing the outbreak.

4. The "Me First" attitude in seeking to block others from access to life-saving vaccines is shameful. We must ensure that whoever is first in finding the magic formula against the Covid-19 virus must do all in his or her power to accelerate global production and distribution of the vaccine; if there is any moment to show a sense of humanity and decency, this surely is the moment. Seeking profit while the virus still rages on will not end well for anyone.

5. Covid-19 saw international, regional and even national travel come to an abrupt halt. Let us not fall into the trap thinking that this is the moment to forcefully push back on how we connect globally. Globalisation was not the decisive cause for the virus' trail of death and destruction. It was rather our slow reaction time, our poor coordination worldwide, the poor state in which some of our health infrastructure is in and the poor policies that led to the sorry state.

Globalisation has been and will continue to be the big hope for the millions still living in poverty. To deprive them of the chance of breaking out of that trap is immoral. What we should do is to make globalisation more sustainable. This is the moment to give the fight against climate change a push, to intensify our efforts to diminish the pollution of our environment and to work together against the root causes of mass migration.

Covid-19 has been a cruel teacher and we should heed the lessons it is teaching us about being better stewards of the resources of our planet. This is not the moment for us to retreat from the quest in search of new frontiers and challenges. Columbus, da Gama, Humboldt, Cortes, Scott, Hillary, Oppenheimer, Stockhausen, von Braun, yes, even Elon Musk have all pushed mankind to new frontiers and others of their ilk will do the same in the future. Globalisation is in our genes. What we need to do is to organise it better and make sure that its benefits are shared by all and not just by the lucky few.

6. There are forces out there trying to divide the world into two. Dividing the world will force nations to take sides. Old alliances could break. Division will spur tension, potentially setting fire to world peace. It will not help those seeking dominance attain their goal but may instead lead them into isolation. A world ever more dependent on a free and fair exchange of goods and global access to resources to secure growth and stability does not need fencing off. It needs the openness of borders and systems. It needs a sense of fair play and global responsibility. Multilateralism, not unilateralism, is the call of the day.

7. Asean has a lot in common with the European Union (EU) but differs in one essential element - it does not have a treaty committing members to work towards an ever closer union. Asean has chosen instead to gain its "centrality" through other means. Economic integration is one and it is one of growing importance given the geopolitical shifts in the region. Guarding that core function could prove paramount for Asean's survival.

Without strong cohesion - such as with regard to the rules governing the South China Sea - Asean's wish to exert "centrality" could prove politically meaningless. A rationale valid for any community of states, for the EU as well as Asean, is cohesion. Hence, there is a choice which needs to be made. We, Germany and the EU, have a vital interest in the success of "The Asean Way". One vision, one identity, one community.

8. Since Nov 21, 2019, the EU and Singapore have been enjoying the benefits of a free trade agreement. An EU FTA with Vietnam will be in force soon. Talks on similar agreements between the EU and Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are in progress. Hopefully Malaysia will follow suit. At a time when hitherto free trading champions are succumbing to the allure of protectionism, it is vital for all others to join forces and create sustainable, open markets on and of their own.

This makes stronger strategic ties and a free trade agreement between the EU and Asean all the more pressing. Let us keep in mind: The EU is Asean's second-largest trading partner and its largest foreign investor. A status neither of us would want to lose.

9. The South China Sea is not an internal lake. Its rules are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, concluded in 1982 at the end of the Conference on the Law of the Sea under the prudent and wise presidency of Singapore's Professor Tommy Koh. Guarding the rights of its littoral states and keeping the South China Sea internationally accessible will be vital for global trade and for the stability of the region. Recent state-driven maritime activities in the South China Sea as well as in the East China Sea are, therefore, deeply worrying. Abiding by the rule of law is not an option, it is a must to preserve peace. Influence evolves from trust, not dominance.

10. Singapore is a role model when it comes to integrating religions and ethnicities to create a strong national identity. Unity in diversity is perhaps the most important cornerstone of Singapore's raison d'etat. In these troubled times, not least because of Covid-19, Singapore will find a strong partner in the EU, including Germany.

It is not without joy that I part, having seen Singaporean-German relations grow stronger than ever before. Two mutual state visits in just two years are rare but Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German President, and Madam Halimah Yacob, the President of Singapore, have done so, in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

Singapore's ability to harmoniously integrate different cultures is the thought that will remain with my wife and myself long after our time here has come to an end and will keep us connected to the city state. It is this universal approach to brotherhood that inspired the German Embassy to initiate, together with maestro Wong Kah Chun, the Beethoven im Garten series of open-air symphony concerts in the Botanic Gardens in 2018.

Wong, a true son of Singapore and the first winner from Asia of the prestigious Mahler Competition, is today chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. Beethoven, a universally admired composer, is a powerful bridge builder between cultures. His Ode To Joy is part of the world's cultural heritage and the anthem of the European Union. Its lyrics, written by Friedrich Schiller more than 200 years ago, expresses better than anything what is on all of our minds these days: "May all people become brothers, where thy gentle wing abides!"

Covid-19 has meant that this year's performance will be a virtual one, with The Straits Times hosting it online on July 30.

Thereafter, my caravan must move on. I leave with a heavy heart but also a treasure trove of good memories.

• Ulrich A. Sante is Germany's Ambassador to Singapore.