Diplomatic and Consular Relations (Meetings of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Order 2019

No. S 688

Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act

(CHAPTER 82A)

Diplomatic and Consular Relations
(Meetings of Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change) Order 2019

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6(3) of the Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act, the Minister for Foreign Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order is the Diplomatic and Consular Relations (Meetings of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Order 2019 and comes into operation on 21 October 2019.

Definitions

2.  In this Order —

“expert” means a person who is nominated by any government or IPCC Bureau member and invited by the Secretariat of the IPCC to participate in and attend as an expert, the IPCC Scoping Meeting for the Synthesis Report of the Sixth Assessment Report, to be held in Singapore from 21 October 2019 to 23 October 2019 (both dates inclusive);

“government” means a government of any member state of the United Nations or the World Meteorological Organization;

“government representative” means a person who is a representative of any government and invited by the IPCC Secretariat to participate in the 57th Session of the IPCC Bureau, to be held in Singapore on 24 October 2019 and 25 October 2019;

“Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change” or “IPCC” means the body established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program, for assessing the science related to climate change;

“IPCC Bureau member” means —

(a) the Chair or a Vice-Chair of the IPCC;

(b) a Co-Chair or Vice‑Chair of the IPCC Working Group I, II or III; or

(c) a Co‑Chair of the IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories;

“IPCC Secretary” means the executive head of the Secretariat of the IPCC;

“IPCC staff member” means —

(a) an official of the Secretariat of the IPCC, including the IPCC Secretary; or

(b) a member of the staff of the Technical Support Unit of each of the IPCC Working Groups I, II and III;

“Meeting” means —

(a) the IPCC Scoping Meeting for the Synthesis Report of the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), to be held in Singapore from 21 October 2019 to 23 October 2019 (both dates inclusive); or

(b) the 57th Session of the IPCC Bureau, to be held in Singapore on 24 October 2019 and 25 October 2019.

Immunities and privileges of government representative, IPCC Bureau member and expert

3.—(1)  Each of the following persons enjoys the immunities and privileges mentioned in sub‑paragraph (2) while exercising the person’s functions during the Meeting, and during the person’s journeys to and from the place of the Meeting:

(a) a government representative;

(b) an IPCC Bureau member;

(c) an expert.

(2)  The immunities and privileges enjoyed by a person mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) are all the following:

(a) immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of his or her personal baggage;

(b) immunity from legal process of every kind in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by the person in his or her official capacity;

(c) inviolability for all papers and documents of the person;

(d) the right to use codes and to receive papers or correspondence by courier or in a sealed bag;

(e) the same immunities and facilities in respect of the person’s personal baggage as are accorded to an envoy of a sovereign Power accredited to the Republic of Singapore.

(3)  A person accorded the immunity in sub‑paragraph (2)(b) in respect of any words or act described in that provision continues to be accorded such immunity even after the person ceases to be a representative of his or her government, an IPCC Bureau member or an expert, as the case may be.

Immunities and privileges of IPCC staff member

4.—(1)  An IPCC staff member enjoys all the following immunities and privileges:

(a) immunity from legal process in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by the IPCC staff member in his or her official capacity;

(b) exemption from income tax.

(2)  In addition to the immunities and privileges accorded under sub‑paragraph (1), the IPCC Secretary is also entitled to such other privileges, immunities and facilities (not inconsistent with sub‑paragraph (1)) as are enjoyed by an envoy of a sovereign Power accredited to the Republic of Singapore, except that there is no relief from any tax or duty, other than income tax.

Waiver of immunity

5.  Any immunity or privilege conferred on a person in paragraph 3 or 4 may be waived in any case —

(a) where the person is a government representative — by that government;

(b) where the person is an IPCC Bureau member, an IPCC staff member or an expert — by the IPCC Secretariat or the World Meteorological Organization,

if that government, the IPCC Secretariat or the World Meteorological Organization (as the case may be) is of the opinion that —

(c) the immunity or privilege will impede the course of justice; and

(d) the immunity or privilege can be waived without affecting the interest of that government, the IPCC Secretariat or the World Meteorological Organization, as the case may be.

Immunities and privileges do not apply to citizen or permanent resident of Singapore

6.  Paragraphs 3 and 4 do not apply to any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore.

Made on 11 October 2019.

CHEE WEE KIONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Singapore.

[MFA C181/01/08; AG/LEGIS/SL/82A/2015/6 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 6(4) of the Diplomatic and Consular Relations Act).