Challenges

Small states share unique commonalities in their development priorities and challenges as they tend to have smaller populations, smaller domestic markets, and fewer natural resources. Consequently, they are also particularly susceptible to exogenous shocks including pandemics, natural disasters, and economic downturns. As a fellow small state, Singapore is no exception.

The pandemic has induced significant changes in our way of life. Going forward, the challenge will be to construct sustainable and practical solutions to equitably recover and adapt to rapidly changing international landscapes. This is where small states, due to our shared commonalities, can share and take away relevant and applicable lessons from the successful practices and experiences of one another.

Toward a Solution

In 1992, Singapore founded the Forum of Small States (FOSS) and championed it as a platform for small states to discuss and share issues of common interest. Beginning with 16 member states, FOSS has grown significantly to include 108 countries including Singapore today.

To mark the 30th anniversary of FOSS in 2022, Singapore launched the “FOSS for Good” technical assistance package under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), our flagship platform to extend technical assistance for fellow developing countries. The SCP has hosted close to 150,000 foreign government officials from 180 countries, territories and inter-governmental organisations in its programmes.

In the spirit of mutual cooperation to foster collective growth, the “FOSS for Good” package aims to provide a peer-learning platform for government officials from FOSS member states to share experiences and best practices, and adapt the knowledge learnt to their own countries, based on their own national circumstances. The package, which will run from 2022 to 2023, focuses on member states’ vital development priorities such as digital transformation and COVID-19 recovery. To further support solidarity amongst FOSS, Singapore will offer sponsorship to all FOSS states under the package regardless of their development status.

The “FOSS for Good” package comprises two components

a)  One Executive Programme (EP) per year for senior officials focused on Leadership and Governance; and
b) Two to three Customised Programmes per year for mid-to-senior level officials, focussed on specific and technical topics.

The inaugural EP entitled “FOSS for Good: Leadership and Governance amid COVID-19” was conducted by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) virtually in May and June 2022. The programme brought together 27 senior government officials from 21 countries to share challenges and strategies in public sector leadership, especially those pertaining to sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In sessions such as “Singapore’s Whole-of-Government Approach to Covid-19” and “Digital Transformation and Economic Prosperity”, participants covered topics on pandemic preparedness, sustainable development and digital transformation, trade and economy, and Singapore’s policymaking principles. We were also honoured to host a dialogue with Minister Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and National Development and a session with Director a.i. UNDP Global Centre, Mr Riad Meddeb in the programmes.

In addition, two Customised Programmes were conducted in Singapore in July 2022. 28 participants from 20 countries took part in these two programmes.

The first Customised Programme “A Pandemic Reality Check – Preparing Schools for the New Normal Learning Environment” was held from 12 to 15 July 2022. The programme saw experts from the National Institute of Education International share best practices of how schools in Singapore adapted to the new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, by leveraging on technology to develop online educational infrastructures. Through site visits to schools, a key takeaway cited by participants was the exposure to the Information and Communication Technology strategies adopted in Singapore’s education curriculums.

The second Customised Programme “Digital Health” took place from 18 to 22 July 2022. The course shared Singapore’s experience in the usage of technology in healthcare, including the challenges we faced in facilitating safe access to healthcare and preventing the abuse of telemedicine services. Through various site visits and facilitated group discussions, our participants observed how gamification could be used to support medical training, tested out VR tools used for acute care training, and learnt how innovation could be used to address healthcare challenges.

Aside from sharing its own experiences, Singapore also learned from the participants’ experiences through lively debate and discussions. We welcome FOSS member states to join us in this learning journey, and for interested member states and other organisations to partner with us to deliver the programmes. We believe that small states have the potential to do more as a collective whole. Together, we can be a FOSS for Good.