Activities of the Secretary-General in Singapore 31 August–2 September

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, arrived in Singapore on the night of 31 August.

The next day, he was given a tour of the Gardens by the Bay by the Gardens’ CEO, Felix Loh.  He then visited the Marina Barrage which is a reservoir facility formed by damming the Singapore and Kallang River basins.  It has a catchment area of 10,000 hectares that supplies water to Singaporeans and helps to alleviate floods.  The Secretary-General then received a tour of the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, which showcases the measures the country is taking in areas like water waste management, green transportation and adaptation to climate change.

The Secretary-General then attended a lunch hosted by the Minister of Sustainability and Environment, Grace Fu Hai Yien.

In the afternoon, the Secretary-General toured the City Gallery at the Urban Redevelopment Authority, which showcases Singapore’s physical transformation and documents the country’s planning challenges and efforts over the years.  He was then briefed by staff there on the land use planning for Singapore.

The Secretary-General then visited the Punggol Library which is the country’s first library created with assistive technology and designed for persons with disabilities.  It contains an immersive and interactive showcase of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and fabrication technology like 3D printing.  He was also briefed by library staff on a digital inclusion programme for all citizens including many elderly and those without access to the internet.

In the evening, the Secretary-General attended a dinner hosted by the Minister of Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo.

The next day, the Secretary-General visited the National Orchid Garden, where the Government honoured him by having a hybrid orchid species named after him.  He then received a tour of the garden.

The Secretary-General had a series of bilateral meetings at the Istana Villa.  First, with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and then with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  He then had lunch with Prime Minister Wong.  This was followed by a bilateral meeting with the Senior Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

Upon return to his hotel, the Secretary-General had an interview with the Singaporean media outlet Channel News Asia.

The Secretary-General left Singapore that evening for Shanghai, China.