High seas treaty shows the way to solving bigger problems, Vivian Balakrishnan tells UN

NEW YORK - The world must replicate the “constructive spirit” displayed in forging a new treaty to protect the high seas to strengthen multilateralism, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

Eighty-one nations have initialled the

high seas treaty

– officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty – during the ongoing UN session. Notably, the signatories include both the United States and China, even in the midst of their sharpening rivalry. 

Offering three broad principles to make the multilateral system more resilient, Dr Balakrishnan said that the high seas treaty proved that the collective will could be mustered again.

“We can do so – as shown by the recent adoption of a legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction,” he said.

The treaty outlines

how marine ecosystems on the high seas can be conserved

and how the global community can benefit equitably from the oceans.

“We need to bring the same constructive spirit to the other areas of the global commons – AI (artificial intelligence), cyber security, digital technology and outer space,” he said while presenting Singapore’s national statement at the UN.

Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee served as the president of the intergovernmental conference that in June delivered the treaty that was adopted by 193 UN member states after two decades of discussions.

“She worked closely with all delegations to bring the ship to safe harbour,” Dr Balakrishnan said.

With the rise of nationalism and populism weakening international institutions, many have questioned whether the UN is still fit to tackle global challenges like climate change and inequality. It can be inefficient and too slow to respond to crises, they argue.

But Dr Balakrishnan said the UN must lead the charge. 

“As the most inclusive and universal body, the UN has to be at the centre of our collective efforts to address global challenges.”

He proposed three broad principles to quicken the pace towards making the multilateral system more resilient and future-ready.

One, that the member states should reaffirm their commitment to building a multilateral system, accepting that this might demand compromise.

“Unfortunately, the world today is marked by even sharper geopolitical rivalry,” he said.

“Free trade is in retreat, and supply chains are being fragmented. This unravels the gains that we have painstakingly made over decades by competing and contributing to a common global technology stack,” said Dr Balakrishnan.

“We must avoid turning competition into a zero-sum game,” he said, whether in addressing climate change or setting technology standards.

“The need for compromise and mutual understanding is a feature, not a bug of the multilateral system. In the face of planetary challenges, there is no winner who can take it all,” he added.  

The second principle would call for the countries to accept and respect the diversity of  “experiences, systems, concepts and ideas within the multilateral system, which is borne from our rich tapestry of cultures, religions and societal norms”. 

“We must recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all template for how a country should organise itself. No one has a monopoly on culture and wisdom. And we should resist the arrogant temptation to remake others in our own image,” he said. The diversity would confer the added advantage of cross-fertilisation of ideas, and the development of more policy options to deal with the many challenges we face, he added.

And, finally, the world must prepare for the risks of the AI revolution and distribute the benefits fairly, he said.

It was not the want of imagination which was thwarting progress, he observed. “We do not lack policy ideas on strengthening multilateralism. But we need commitment and action,” he said, referencing “transformative shifts” proposed by the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism which is championed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“For many small states, our survival, our very success requires a strong UN and an effective multilateral system founded on the UN Charter and international law and complied with by all states in the world,” he said, adding that Singapore would work with nations, big and small, to support the cause.

Dr Balakrishnan also said Singapore was optimistic that the UN and the multilateral system will find success in establishing norms on fast emerging technologies.  

The UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICT Security, chaired by Singapore, has made steady progress, he said.

Mr Guterres’ other initiative, the Summit of the Future, will be a crucial milestone to reposition the UN and the multilateral system for the future, Dr Balakrishnan said.

Mr Guterres wants to convene the summit in 2024 to address many major global issues, ranging from disarmament to climate change to economic development.

“We call on all delegations to take a pragmatic and action-oriented approach towards the summit,” Dr Balakrishnan said. 

“It is not too late for us to work together to build a better, safer, fairer world for all countries and our future generations.”