Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN)

Singapores involvement and contribution:

Point 1 Elaboration

- Singapores Education and Professional Exchange in the ASEAN committee - gives technical and experts for the member countries - gives scholarships without bonds to students, allowing them to study in Singapores university except medicine - after graduating, the students are then able to return to their own countries and contribute to their countries development. - Singapore provided training for the officials in Laos such as English language, trading promotions and technological skills - Singapore offers scholarships to foreign students under the Singapore Co-operation Programme - Singapores contribution enables sharing of educational and professional expertise between countries so that they can increase their competition in various areas - Through sharing, Singapore is able to foster greater relationships between the ASEAN countries

Examples

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Point 2 Elaboration Examples

- Singapores involvement through Economic Co-operation and Assistance - Through ECA, Singapore aims to lower the economic gap between countries in ASEAN - Singapore has launched the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) project in 2000 - Singapore has provided a 5 year-package of over $80million dollars to selected countries like Laos and Cambodia from 2000 to 2003 - This helps the poorer countries in ASEAN to boost their economic development - This also helps to foster better relationships between Singapore and the ASEAN countries - Singapore also helps through Environmental Co-operation - In 1997, Indonesias forest fire caused a serious haze problem in the region - Singapores environmental minister met up with the ASEAN environmental ministers in 1997 to discuss about the issue of the forest fire to devise the Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP) - They wanted to solve the issue of Prevention of Forest Fire

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Point 3 Elaboration Examples

Preventing Spreading of Forest Fire Strengthening Forest Fire Fighting Skills - Singapore contributed by supplying images of Forest Fires through the use of satellite images and also through the data of the ASEAN Specialized Metrological Center Link - By supplying warning data of the forest fires, Singapore is able to help the region by preventing the spread of forest fire, therefore controlling the haze. This would benefit the people living near or in the affected countries.

Conclusion Elaboration

- Therefore based on criterion of impact, I think that ECA is the most important factor - Economic assistance allows countries to have a developing economy and allows the countries to make use of the aid to settle the pressing issues of the country. However, even though Singapore offers education and professional expertise, there will be no short term effect as it does not solve the issue of economic crisis within the country. Neither would a country in economic crisis be able to help much in the environmental hazards. Therefore, Singapores ECA is the most important factor because it caters to more immediate needs of the country.

Singapores Involvement in the United Nations:

Point 1 Elaboration

- Singapore contributed to the UN via the UN Law of the Sea Conference - It is the law that marks out the sea territorial boundaries between countries and states the rights of the landlocked access to the seas. It also provides guidelines on how to protect the marine environment and protect the freedom of scientific research - Prof. Tommy was the president of the third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea conference from 1980 1982, which holds the rights for the decision of territorial rights of a countrys water boundaries - Singapore ensures that the different countries receive a fair portion of their sea boundaries as well as their rights over their waters

Examples

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Point 2 Elaboration

- Singapore also contributes to the Security Council - The Security Council has 10 rotating members with 5 permanent members. - They help to maintain international peace and security - Singapore was elected by the UN general assembly and served as President of the Council from 2001- 2002 - Singapore helped to maintain peace and security as well as solving international conflicts between countries

Examples

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Point 3 Elaboration

- Singapore also participates in the UN peacekeeping operations - Peacekeeping operations are held by the UN Security Council which helps countries that are torn by conflicts and wars to create conditions for long-term peace - The UN Security Councils deploys soldiers and other civil workers from many countries into these countries as peacekeepers, allowing them to settle down - In 1989, thousands of Singapores troops were deployed into Timor Leste or Iraq, to maintain peace and order. - By participating in these peacekeeping operations, Singapore is able to contribute positively to the UNs mission in preserving world peace

Examples

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Conclusion

- Based on criterion of impact, I think that Singapores contribution to the peacekeeping is the most contributing factor. - The participation of the UN Law of the Sea Conference and UN Security Council only requires limited amount of people from small groups of countries and only involves decision making. However, the contribution to peacekeeping operations involves greater number of people and personals from different countries which requires greater involvement and commitment.

Elaboration