BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 8

Singapore maintains a steady course towards the achievement of SDG 8’s targets, thanks to its strong economic performance and its active commitment to cultivating a resilient and sustainable economic environment, as outlined in Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and Singapore’s Economy 2030 initiatives (Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore [MTIS], 2022; Singapore Green Plan, 2026). Singapore enjoys a unique position as a global trade hub located between developing countries with extremely high growth potential. In 2024, the country sustained a solid 3.3% growth in GDP per capita, followed by an even higher 3.7% in 2025, whereas the aggregate unemployment rate has remained relatively stable since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, standing at a modest 2.8% in 2025 (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2026). Yet, Singapore’s economic growth faces significant challenges amidst growing geopolitical tensions and a worsening climate change, which threatens Singapore’s position as a small, low-lying island state (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore [MFAS], 2022, pp. 10-11).

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Singapore’s current challenges in the area of SDG 8 can easily be inferred by looking at the MTIS's (2022) Economy 2030 vision, which lays down the economic strategy adopted by Singapore to align its economic growth with SDG 8. As part of this 2030 vision, Singapore currently aims to grow its service sector in the areas of sustainability and digitalisation and to strengthen its international position as a global trade centre by expanding its export base and securing key partnerships with other countries in the region (MTIS, 2022; MFAS, 2023, p. 33). As stressed by the MFAS (2022), the COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical conflicts have revealed the fragility of small countries such as Singapore, which rely heavily on trade and are disproportionately affected by global supply chain disruptions (pp. 10-11). To strengthen its economic resilience and foster the achievement of SDG 8’s targets, Singapore is therefore prioritising the development of strong domestic capabilities across its business sectors to reduce its dependence on foreign, specialised knowledge, while simultaneously launching various initiatives to strengthen regional cooperation and create a resilient trade network, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (MFAS, 2022, p. 33).

Moreover, challenges still persist in the area of decent work for all. While the country has successfully managed to raise the quality of its workforce over the last few decades, thereby moving more and more workers into high-value jobs and industries, younger individuals struggle to integrate into the Singaporean workforce. The proportion of young people not in education, employment or training increased dramatically after the COVID-19 pandemic, almost doubling from 2019 to 2021 and remaining above prepandemic levels ever since (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, n.d.).

LIST OF REFERENCES AND USEFUL LINKS

Department of Statistics Singapore. (2026, March 12). Sustainable Development Goals: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Government of Singapore. Retrieved September 7, 2026, from https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/sustainable-development-goals/goal-8

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore. (2023, March 8). Building a Sustainable, Resilient & Inclusive Singapore. Government of Singapore. Retrieved September 7, 2026, from https://www.mfa.gov.sg/about-mfa/international-issues/singapore-s-voluntary-national-review/

Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. (2022). Singapore Economy 2030: Seizing Opportunities, Energising Enterprises. Government of Singapore. https://sbmsa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SG-economy-2030-Standalone.pdf

Singapore Green Plan 2030. (2026, March 31). Our Targets: Our Singapore Green Plan 2030 Targets. Retrieved September 7, 2026, from https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/targets/

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). SDG Country Profile: Singapore. Retrieved September 7, 2026, from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/sgp#goal-8