Committee of Supply 2021 debate, Day 2: Gerald Giam on broadening Singapore’s base of international support

A cornerstone of Singapore’s foreign policy is defending its interests in multilateral organisations and securing its candidacy in such bodies. It needs not just the support of major and regional partners but also countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. Calling such engagement “a mammoth task”, MP Gerald Giam said MFA has eight officers covering about 100 countries in those regions, along with three resident embassies. He questioned if the resources are enough and whether MFA is getting sufficient support from other Government agencies.