Statement at the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security delivered by Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee, Resident Representative of Singapore to the IAEA, 6 December 2016

Mr President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1                 At the outset, my delegation would like to commend the IAEA for convening the second IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security.  This is a timely opportunity for the international community to remind ourselves not to take nuclear security for granted; reaffirm our commitments and redouble our efforts to strengthen nuclear security through actions.

Mr President,

2                 Singapore is neither a user of nuclear energy nor a nuclear power.  We do not have significant nuclear material or facilities.  But we take our responsibilities in nuclear security very seriously.  This is because we are a small and densely populated island, and any nuclear incident, even a small one, will have serious consequences for our citizens, our economy, trade, security and our way of life.  We are also an international transit and transshipment hub, and we can be badly affected by a nuclear incident elsewhere too.  Nuclear terrorism may not be the most imminent security threat, but it is a plausible one, and its consequences dire. 

3                 We therefore actively support international efforts to strengthen the global nuclear security.  Singapore accedes to, and fully implements, the relevant international legal instruments.  We welcome the entry into force of the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material or CPPNM, in May 2016 this year. We commend Director-General Mr Yukiya Amano and the IAEA Secretariat for their efforts in promoting the entry into force of the Amendment.  Singapore is committed to implementing the amended CPPNM and fully supports the Agency’s efforts in implementing this convention.  We also encourage States that have not ratified the amended CPPNM to do so expeditiously. 

Mr President,

4                 Singapore also actively support counter-proliferation efforts and initiatives.  As a global transshipment hub, Singapore is committed to combating illicit trafficking.  We have tightened our export control regime in the past few years with upgraded radiation screening technology at our ports.  We track every case of nuclear fuel transiting through Singapore and from time to time, we have detected and intercepted illicit materials at our checkpoints.  We opened our first border laboratory – called the Protective, Analytical & Assessment Facility (PAAF) – in July this year.  It can conduct radiation-nuclear detection and analysis, which will help us interdict illicit activities at the border.  Mr Amano was among the first visitors of the facility when he was in Singapore in August this year.

5                 Singapore also cooperates closely with international counter-proliferation efforts, in accordance to the relevant United Nations mandates, and to the fullest extent possible given that we are a small and open economy.  We participate in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).  We adopt Financial Action Task Force Recommendations to combat proliferation financing.  We host the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation, which fosters information sharing among countries, to counter transnational threats and networks that exploit new technology.  Singapore also did our part in fully implementing the relevant UNSC resolutions on Iran’s nuclear programme.  We are happy that this issue has reached a satisfactory outcome with the implementation of the JCPOA.  We have also joined the IAEA's Incident and Trafficking Database and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

6                 But countering nuclear proliferation requires international cooperation.  It is insufficient for only some jurisdictions or ports to tighten their export control regimes.  Every part of the entire supply chain must be secure.  Otherwise, vessels transporting nuclear contraband will simply exploit the weakest link.

7                 We must also secure civilian and non-civilian nuclear material and facilities.  Comprehensive measures must be taken by countries to account for and secure all nuclear material, including those used for military purposes, since most of the world’s weapons-usable nuclear material is held by militaries.  Concrete steps should be taken to reduce the global stockpile of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable nuclear material, so they will never be used again, whether by accident or design.

8                 We are deeply concerned by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s two nuclear tests as well as its series of missile tests conducted this year.  These deliberate and provocative actions are flagrant breaches of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and are in complete disregard of the international community’s concerns.  They seriously jeopardise the peace and stability of the region.  We strongly urge the DPRK to abide by its international obligations and commitments and to return immediately to dialogue on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Mr President,

9                 Our view is that nuclear security and nuclear safety measures share the common goal of protecting our citizens and the environment.  Nuclear security and nuclear safety lapses also lead to similar consequences.  We should therefore do more to promote a robust culture of nuclear safety and nuclear security globally.  But there can be no absolute guarantee of nuclear security.  Countries should therefore build up capabilities to deal with the aftermath of a nuclear or radiological disaster, whether due to terrorism or accident.

10               This is why we are supporting the IAEA’s efforts to help Member States develop robust regulatory frameworks, and enhancing their emergency preparedness and response (EPR) capabilities.  Singapore and the IAEA jointly conducted a regional workshop on nuclear law and legislation in June this year under the Singapore-IAEA Third Country Training Programme MOU, which was signed by Mr Amano during his visit to Singapore in 2015.  Over 50 legal experts from 19 countries in the Asia-Pacific region had the opportunity to better understand the importance of having comprehensive nuclear regulations and legislation in place.  They also discussed the importance of joining and implementing the legal instruments under IAEA auspices, such as the amended CPPNM.  We are planning to jointly organize a regional workshop with the IAEA on EPR next year under this MOU.

Mr President,

11               We share the views of Director-General Amano and the many delegations calling for more attention to be paid to improving computer security of nuclear installations.  We welcome Director-General Amano’s commitment to continue to develop guidance on enhancing computer security, and to provide focused training on cyber threats to enhance the capacity of member states to respond to cyber-attacks – both random and targeted – against nuclear facilities.

Mr President,

12               In conclusion, many delegations before me have stated that nuclear security and safety are global challenges that no single country can solve by themselves.  We must all do more to build national and regional capabilities through international cooperation to foster a strong nuclear safety and security culture, develop robust regulatory frameworks, and enhance EPR capabilities.  Singapore will continue to contribute to international efforts towards this shared goal of making our world a more secure and safer place.

13               Thank you, Mr President.

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