Opening Ceremony of the Singapore-International Disaster and Emergency Management Expo – Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (SIDEX-ACDR 2026) – Speech by Ms Sim Ann, Second Minister For Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs

Mr Masamichi Hayashi, Deputy Minister, Cabinet Office of Japan;

Commissioner Eric Yap, Singapore Civil Defence Force;

Mr Leow Chew Hong, Deputy CEO of Co-operative of SCDF Employees Ltd (COSEM);

Mr Markham Shaw, Chairman, National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Introduction

1. A very good morning to all of you. It is my pleasure to join you at the opening of SIDEX-ACDR 2026, held in conjunction with FiSAC 2026 — bringing together leaders and practitioners from the fire safety, disaster management, and emergency response communities.

2. I am pleased to welcome 48 partner agencies, up from 32 agencies in the inaugural SIDEX last year.

3. Over the next three days, more than 650 participants from 45 countries, ranging from the United States, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand, will come together to exchange knowledge, showcase capabilities, and forge partnerships under the theme: "Disaster Resilient Futures: Leadership, Solidarity, Preparedness."

An Interconnected World

4. This theme is timely. The risks we face are becoming more complex, interconnected, and unpredictable.

5. In August, catastrophic flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse along the Nepal-China border devastated communities and infrastructure, and caused the loss of many lives.

6. Around the world, climate-driven disasters like wildfires and other extreme weather events place communities and emergency services under tremendous strain.

7. Closer to home, we remain exposed to regional and transboundary hazards such as haze and severe storms.

8. Building resilient societies is therefore not something that any one country can do alone.

9. I believe the theme of this year’s conference captures well what is required of us: Leadership, Solidarity and Preparedness.

Leadership

10. Let me begin with leadership. Leadership is about setting a clear direction and having the conviction to prepare for it.

11. In our field, this means looking ahead to future risks, and investing early in both technology and people.

12. For SCDF, this is embodied in its Transformation 2030 vision, “Prepared, Even for the Unexpected”.

13. The aim is not simply to respond better when emergencies occur, but to anticipate risks and strengthen capabilities before they are needed.

14. We see this same approach in fire safety.

15. As our built environment becomes more complex and as new risks emerge, our regulatory approaches must keep pace.

16. SCDF is therefore using technologies such as GenAI, blockchain and data analytics to strengthen fire-safety regulation and enforcement.

17. However, technology is only as effective as the people who apply it.

18. On this front, SCDF and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) have co-developed Graduate Certificate programmes in Fire Safety Engineering, covering areas such as computational fire modelling, fire engineering science, and fire dynamics.

19. Following strong enrolment and positive feedback, SIT will launch a Master of Science in Safety and Risk, specialising in Fire Safety Engineering, next year.

20. Co-developed with the SCDF, this will raise professional standards and develop future-ready specialists.

21. These initiatives are very much in line with the Fire Safety Asia Conference (FiSAC), focused on “Rationalisation, Responsiveness and Resilience,” ensuring that our fire-safety ecosystem remains effective and fit for purpose as the operating environment changes.

Solidarity

22. But leadership alone is not enough. Disasters cross borders, and their effects rarely remain confined to one country.

23. No country has all the answers. Each of us brings different experiences, whether in research, emergency operations, technology, regulation or community engagement.

24. This is where solidarity matters.

25. The relationships that we build before a crisis – the trust we establish, the lessons we exchange, and the partnerships we forge – form the foundation for how effectively we can work together when a crisis happens.

26. This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan.

27. It is therefore particularly meaningful that SIDEX is co-branded with the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction, or ACDR, co-organised with our Japanese counterparts.

28. MHA and the Cabinet Office of Japan will be signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) later this afternoon.

29. Through this MOC, Singapore and Japan will deepen cooperation in disaster management technologies and strengthen the exchange of knowledge on disaster management policies, frameworks and best practices.

30. Platforms like SIDEX provide a valuable opportunity not only to exchange ideas, but to build trust and forge partnerships that can endure beyond the conference.

Preparedness

31. Ultimately, leadership and solidarity must translate into preparedness on the ground.

32. I would like to highlight two examples of how SCDF is turning preparedness into practice.

Launch of VXR

33. First, electric vehicles (EVs). They now account for more than 60% of new vehicle registrations in Singapore in the first half of this year, and their adoption will continue to grow.

34. This introduces new challenges for firefighters.

35. Lithium-ion batteries can undergo thermal runaway, and affected vehicles may remain at risk of re-ignition even after a fire has been extinguished.

36. SCDF has been strengthening its EV response capabilities through research and burn tests to develop new fire-safety regulations and operational procedures, supported by specialised equipment.

37. Today, SCDF will launch the Vehicle Extrication Robot, or VXR.

38. Following a fire extinguishment, the VXR can remotely move an affected vehicle to a safer location from up to 300 metres away.

39. This allows our responders to maintain a safer distance from the vehicle during recovery operations.

Gen 7E Ambulance

40. Second, we are strengthening the capabilities of our emergency medical services responders.

41. The Gen 7E ambulance, which was operationalised in May this year, is designed as a future-ready mobile clinical workspace.

42. It was developed in close consultation with frontline paramedics, so that its design and technology meet real operational needs.

43. It is part of SCDF’s broader efforts to equip our emergency medical services responders to develop effective pre-hospital care in an increasingly demanding operating environment.

44. These two examples are how SCDF prepares and advances its capabilities in an ever-changing operating environment.

Conclusion

45. Last month, I sent off our contingent that was deployed to Nepal following the devastating floods there.

46. Our officers brought with them specialised capabilities in disaster victim identification and aerial surveillance, to support the Nepali authorities in their relief operations.

47. That deployment brought together all three themes I have shared today.

48. Leadership, in anticipating and developing the capabilities required for complex emergencies.

49. Solidarity, in standing with another country in its time of need.

50. And preparedness, in ensuring that our responders are ready to put their training and capabilities into action when called upon.

51. It is also a reminder that ultimately, the cost of disasters is measured in lives lost, families uprooted, and communities disrupted.

52. Our ability to prepare, respond and recover depends on strong institutions, capable responders and importantly, trusted partnerships.

53. I encourage all of you to make full use of the next three days to exchange lessons openly, learn across disciplines, and build relationships that extend beyond the conference.

54. To our partners, COSEM, the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre and the National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council, thank you for putting this event together.

55. To our speakers, panellists, moderators, thank you for sharing your expertise and insights.

56. And to all our participants, I trust that we will leave SIDEX-ACDR and FiSAC with new ideas, stronger partnerships and a renewed commitment to act – with leadership, solidarity and preparedness – to protect lives, livelihoods, and our shared future.

57. Let me wish everyone the most fruitful conference. Thank you.