Singapore to ratify Asean haze coordination centre agreement ‘in the next few days’: Grace Fu

Singapore is set to ratify an agreement establishing an Asean haze coordination centre in the coming days, as the country prepares to take on the role of chairperson of the regional bloc in 2027, announced Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu during a parliamentary session on November 3.

The agreement, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation in managing land and forest fires, will only come into effect after six Asean member states ratify the pact. Singapore plans to submit its instrument of ratification "in the next few days," and will encourage other member states to do the same.

Fu emphasized that the coordinating centre, based in Indonesia, will play a crucial role in addressing the underlying causes of transboundary haze, such as human activities like peatland draining and slash-and-burn practices. The minister also highlighted that Singapore will collaborate with other Asean countries to implement initiatives tackling these root causes, including sustainable land and peatland management and guidelines for crop burning.

Some Asean members have expressed their intention to raise the issue of transboundary haze at upcoming bloc meetings, and Singapore will support these discussions by sharing its intended actions against companies responsible for the haze, Fu stated.

Singapore's air quality had worsened in recent weeks, with the Republic's Pollutant Standard Index reaching "unhealthy" levels in early September and "very unhealthy" in several regions on October 16. However, the index has since returned to the "good-to-moderate" range as of October 25.

Fu also mentioned that Singapore has been working bilaterally and through the Asean framework to tackle transboundary haze since as early as May, prior to the dry season. The Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) serves as the main framework for member states to prevent, monitor, and mitigate fires and the resulting haze.

Singapore has offered civilian assistance to Indonesian firefighters and operational support for cloud-seeding to combat the haze, although Indonesia declared on October 19 that it had managed the situation without requiring foreign aid. The two nations' cooperation aligns with the memorandum of understanding on environmental cooperation signed between them in June.

Fu stressed that Singapore respects Indonesia's sovereignty and its assessment of its needs, including the establishment of a joint regional firefighting task force.