Distinguished Co-Chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,
Colleagues,
I am pleased to join you for the Small Island Developing States Civil Society Engagement Forum. I thank Ms. Sanita Pavluta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia and Ms. Shiruzimath Sameer, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Maldives for their leadership as Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS. I also extend my gratitude to the Government of Ireland for its generous support.
This Forum comes at a pivotal moment — following the Fourth International Conference on SIDS, and as we begin the critical task of implementing the ABAS - Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States.
I congratulate again Antigua and Barbuda for successfully hosting SIDS4 and for galvanizing global momentum to support SIDS’ resilient prosperity.
At SIDS4, we witnessed the determination and leadership of SIDS in addressing their unique vulnerabilities and driving forward innovative, sustainable solutions. We were also reminded that durable, genuine partnerships — across sectors and across societies — are vital to achieving SIDS' ambitions.
Civil society was front and center at SIDS4, including through the SIDS4 Civil Society Forum, facilitated by UNDESA, which provided a critical platform to mobilize indigenous peoples, women’s organizations, youth, and other stakeholders to share their contributions, priorities, and commitments toward the implementation of the ABAS. Over 500 stakeholders actively participated in the Conference, with strong representation of women and youth among the participants.
Today’s Forum builds on that momentum.
It offers civil society a vital space to articulate priorities, identify capacity needs, and develop concrete, actionable recommendations to strengthen civil society’s positions and capacities for driving the implementation of the ABAS.
The positions presented here will not only help in shaping future engagement of civil society in SIDS partnerships — they will directly inform the final recommendations to strengthen the SIDS Partnership Framework, as requested in paragraph 37 of the ABAS, to be presented for endorsement at the Ambassadorial Meeting of the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS on 30 May 2025.
In response to this request, UN DESA and OHRLLS have conducted consultations with Member States, UN entities, and stakeholders to gather views and develop ideas for strengthening the Framework. In the next segment, you will hear more about the findings from these consultations.
Excellencies,
The power of civil society to drive sustainable development cannot be overstated. From advocacy to implementation, civil society is on the frontlines — building partnerships, mobilizing communities, fostering innovation, and ensuring that no one is left behind.
The SIDS Civil Society Action Plan and Roadmap (2024–2034) — developed for and by civil society across all SIDS regions — outlines a shared vision of a strong, well-supported civil society as a key sector in delivering sustainable development through a participatory, multisectoral, and whole-of-society approach.
A renewed and strengthened SIDS Partnership Framework must recognize and harness this power. It must ensure that civil society voices are not only heard, but are integral to shaping, leading, and delivering partnerships aligned with the ABAS and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
I look forward to hearing your perspectives and your innovative ideas. Together, let us help create a strengthened SIDS Partnership Framework that is truly inclusive, dynamic, and fit for purpose for the next decade of action for SIDS.
Thank you.