Singapore

Honourable Heads of States and Ministers,  
Secretary-General of the ITU, 
Excellencies,   

On behalf of the Singapore delegation, I would like to express our deep appreciation to our host Romania for the great hospitality and excellent organisation of this Conference, as well as to the Chair and the ITU Secretariat for the exceptional management of the conference proceedings.  

When we were all gathered for the last ITU PP in 2018, no one would have predicted the pandemic or the profound and sweeping impact that digitalisation would have on our societies and our economies. But arising from the strong foundation put in place by the ITU over the many decades, many of us were able to pivot quickly – to bring our businesses and citizens online, to develop new channels to disseminate important public healthcare information, and to remain connected to the rest of the world even as borders were shut. 

At the same time, however, our global recovery from COVID-19 remains uneven and fragile, and this has also put into starker relief the urgent need for us to work together to support the 2.9 billion worldwide who remain unconnected. 

In Singapore, two key principles have guided us in our approach to harnessing digitalisation for recovery and inclusive growth, and ultimately in strengthening trust.  

First, this is a Whole-of-Society effort. Governments cannot do this alone, nor do we have all the answers. We need to work together with the industry, civil society, and international organisations like the ITU. Second, it is important to focus on both the hardware and the software – in addition to putting in place communications infrastructure for universal and affordable access, it is also equally critical to take practical, tangible actions to equip our citizens and businesses with the skills and tools to use digital technologies meaningfully, safely, and confidently. 

For example, in Singapore, we launched a Digital for Life (DfL) Movement last year to mobilise partners comprising the industry, community organisations and government agencies to drive a Whole-of-Society effort to build a digitally ready and inclusive society. More than 100 partners have pledged support, both in enhancing access to the ‘hardware’ – like affordable internet connections and mobile devices, and in building up the ‘software’ – promoting digital skills and wellness among our youth and more vulnerable groups in society in including the elderly and Persons with Disabilities.  

At the global level, Singapore as a small state believes strongly in the power of multilateral cooperation, to build trust and to harness the opportunities of the digital revolution. Singapore has been developing and offering capacity-building programmes, in partnership with international organisations and industry, in areas such as digital transformation, data governance, and digital trade.  

To reaffirm Singapore’s commitment to supporting inclusive global growth and to bridging the digital divide, we will be announcing in the coming month plans to deepen our international collaboration with key partners, like the ITU, to develop more capacity building programmes, particularly with fellow small states. We believe in the value of learning from one another’s experience, and in contributing collectively to the ITU’s Connect 2030 Agenda and the UN Global Digital Compact, to tackle today’s challenges, and to put in place a stronger foundation for our future.