Minister for Defence Speaks at 49th Munich Security Conference

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (left) speaking at a panel discussion during the 49th Munich Security Conference.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen is in Germany to attend the 49th Munich Security Conference (MSC), an annual high-level security conference that brings together foreign affairs and defence decision makers from around the world. This year's conference, held from 1 to 3 Feb 2013, is attended by heads of government, defence and foreign ministers, parliamentarians, military leaders and security experts. 

Earlier today, Dr Ng spoke on the topic "The Rising Powers and Global Governance", as part of a panel alongside three other speakers: Brazilian Minister of External Relations Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Song Tao and Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. 

Dr Ng highlighted the central importance of the US-China relationship for global stability and the need for both sides to widen areas of mutual interest as well as build confidence and capacity in multilateral settings. Dr Ng also spoke about the fundamental changes brought about in the last decade by rising global powers such as China and India, and also stressed the importance of effective global governance in tackling modern-day transnational issues. For effective global governance, Dr Ng noted that in addition to a commitment to open and inclusive dialogue and respect for the rule of law, "for international institutions to be credible, they must deliver real results; and indeed, frameworks and institutions are necessary but insufficient and we need effective leadership". 

Other topics discussed during the conference included the Eurozone crisis and the future of the European Union, the future of the Euro-Atlantic security community, the changing geopolitics of energy, cybersecurity as well as security developments in Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and North Africa. 

As part of his programme, Dr Ng also spoke at the 5th Munich Young Leaders Round Table on Security Policy on 1 Feb 2013 on the topic of "Forces of Change in the 21st Century". The Munich Young Leaders Round Table, held on the sidelines of the MSC, brings together young leaders from governments, think-tanks and the private sector from the US, Europe, the Middle-East as well as selected Asia-Pacific countries to discuss issues related to foreign and security policy. 

While in Munich, Dr Ng also held bilateral meetings with a number of leaders, including Canadian Minister of National Defence Peter Gordon MacKay, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Song Tao, German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière, Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, Italian Defence Minister Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, Swedish Defence Minister Karin Märta Elisabeth Enström and UK Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond. Dr Ng will be meeting US Senator John McCain tomorrow. This is the second time that Dr Ng has attended the MSC and spoken as a panellist.

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Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Munich Security Conference 2013

Speech by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Munich Young Leaders Round Table 2013