2. DIPLOMACY The way in which countries manage or conduct relations with one another. Its main aim is to promote common interests and to resolve conflicting interests in a peaceful manner. Most countries send diplomats to live in other countries to keep in touch with the foreign government.
4. Aims of the United Nations (UN) Organisation Maintain world peace and stability. Develop friendly relations among nations. Cooperate internationally to solve international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems. Promote respect for human rights and basic freedom regardless of race, religion and gender. To be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in attaining the aims listed.
5. Participation (example 1) UN Law of the Sea Conference It defines how countries can draw territorial borders in the sea and states clearly the rights of landlocked states to access the seas. Aim: To decide on the territorial rights of a country over it waters. Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s former representative to the UN, was President of the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1980-1982.
6. Participation (example 2) Security Council Aim: Maintain International Peace. Includes 5 permanent members (US, UK, France, China & Russia) and 10 rotating members. Singapore was elected by UN General Assembly to serve as a non-permanent Security Council member from 2001-2002. During its term of office, Singapore served as the President of the Council in January 2001-May2002. This showed the confidence member countries have in Singapore as well as Singapore’s commitment to the UN.
7. Participation (example 3) UN Peacekeeping Operations Aim: To help other countries torn by conflict to create conditions for long-term peace. UN peacekeepers are soldiers and military officers, civilian police officers and civilian personnel, deployed from many countries. Singapore has been involved in UN’s peacekeeping efforts since 1989. By 2005, Singapore was involved in 13 operations in 11 different countries and contributed approximately 1500 personnel for these UN Missions.
8. Benefits Social Following Singapore’s admission into the UN, a non-stop Goodwill Mission to forge ties with 16 Afro-Asian countries was carried out between September and November that year. This was the first of many international interactions between Singapore and other nations. Through the UN Security Council, Singapore is able to develop friendship with other nations, monitor world trends, collect valuable information and maintain peace and security with other member countries.
9. Economic Singapore was given help and advice by UN experts on social and economic development. E.g. Dr Albert Winsemius, the economic expert who helped Singapore’s economy after independence. Political Although a small country, Singapore’s membership enables us to voice our opinion on world affairs. Approves the sovereignty and independence of the small states and thereby indirectly contributes to their independence and territorial integrity.
10. Effectiveness International relations involve ties among many countries and groupings throughout the world. In international relations, the UN plays an important role as an organisation representing all countries in the world. Thus, this ensures that every member countries can receive sufficient help in times of need from many other member countries (192), and not just by a few countries only. Since International relations is the diplomatic relations between many countries, the help given to member countries would not be greatly affected if one of the member countries were to be in crisis. Also, the UN helps to preserve world peace, and not just by preserving peace in certain countries or regions only. This is unlike… Bilateral relations Bilateral relations involves the diplomatic relations with 2 countries. Thus, the help received from the other country may be insufficient, as compared to the many countries in International relations. Also, if one country were to be in crisis, the other country would be greatly affected. Regional relations Regional relations is the forming of an association of countries in a region. Thus, ASEAN can only promote economic, social and cultural development of the regionand not the world.
11. National Interests Small talent pool As Singapore is a small country, it lacks manpower and talents to lead the country to greater heights. Hence, it is vital to forge good relationship with other countries so as to attract foreign talents to come to Singapore. Limited natural resources Due to its geographical location, Singapore has a lack of natural resources to sustain the country’s needs. Therefore, it is important to have essential ties with other countries so we can obtain resources from them via trading. Helping hands If Singapore were to be in a crisis, other member countries would be able to provide immediate help like how Singapore would when the others are in a crisis. This would then be a win-win situation for all parties.
