Minister for Transport and Minister-in-Charge of Trade Relations Mr S Iswaran Underscored Need to Restore International Connectivity Safely and Strengthen Transport Climate Action at 2nd UN Global Sustainable Transport Conference Ministers’ Forum

1.     Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Mr S Iswaran led the Singapore delegation to the 2nd United Nations (UN) Global Sustainable Transport Conference, held in a hybrid format, from 14 to 16 October 2021, in Beijing, China.

2.     Co-organised by the UN and the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, the 2nd UN Global Sustainable Transport Conference brought governments, industry and other stakeholders to discuss the role and contribution of sustainable transport in stimulating global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, eradicating poverty, and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).¹

3.     At the Ministers’ Forum on 15 October 2021, Minister Iswaran emphasised the importance of States and stakeholders working together to tackle climate change through strong transport climate action. On mitigating international transport emissions, he urged support for the global efforts led by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization. Minister Iswaran also underscored the need to restore international connectivity with the continued protection of public health, as the world seeks to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. In that regard, Minister Iswaran shared Singapore’s evidence-based, risk-adjusted approach for re-opening its borders, including the quarantine-free Vaccinated Travel Lanes that Singapore has launched with 11 countries.

4.     The Ministers’ Forum saw the participation of 21 Ministers from various regions of the world, who shared experiences, strategies, policies, plans as well as practices on the cross-border movement of people and goods, and advancing sustainable transport. The Ministers’ Forum was co-chaired by Mr Li Xiaopeng, Minister of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, and Mr Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

¹The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, provides a shared action plan for global peace and prosperity. Under the 2030 Agenda, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action to address the shared challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.