Video Message
Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
It is my great pleasure to address this meeting of the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS) Small Island Developing States (SIDS) -- a region rich in cultural, linguistic and biological diversity, united not only by common challenges, but by shared aspirations.
The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) sets out our shared vision of resilient prosperity.
Nearly a year has passed since we met in St. John’s for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS.
Since then, significant milestones have been achieved. The General Assembly has endorsed the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) -- a testament to thirty years of sustained advocacy by SIDS.
The Pact for the Future has elevated and advanced key ABAS commitments, including actions to address the debt crisis and make the international financial architecture fairer and more representative.
Negotiations on the outcome document for FfD4 are building on this momentum, with strong support for the Debt Sustainability Support Service for SIDS –a key deliverable of SIDS4.
But the global development landscape has also shifted significantly, presenting new risks and complexities that could impede ABAS implementation.
Against this backdrop, this High-Level Meeting is a timely opportunity to consider how the region can work together to adapt to these new challenges, forge new partnerships and mobilize new resources.
Strengthening regional coordination is crucial to underpin these efforts. This meeting will advance important discussions on a regional coordination mechanism, as proposed in paragraph 41 of the ABAS. DESA stands ready to support you in operationalizing this coordination mechanism.
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
DESA and SIDS share a longstanding partnership. As Secretary-General of the SIDS4 Conference, I remain fully committed to ensuring the UN development system delivers on the promise of resilient prosperity for SIDS.
Together with OHRLLS, we are finalizing the monitoring and evaluation framework for delivery next month, which will drive ABAS implementation to 2034 and beyond.
We are actively working with the co-chairs of the UN Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS to strengthen and modernize the framework.
And we are putting the building blocks together to ensure effective governance and institutional arrangements for the MVI that will support its uptake and use.
Over the coming year, DESA will continue to enhance its capacity building work in SIDS. We have developed four targeted capacity-building initiatives, securing over 7.7 million US dollars for their implementation. These initiatives directly support five of the ten priority areas in the ABAS: data, financing, oceans, climate change and biodiversity. I am pleased that a number of these projects are benefiting the AIS region.
We also remain engaged in the development of the Center of Excellence for SIDS. As a member of the core group, we are supporting the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda in its establishment. This includes facilitating regional meetings on the Debt Sustainability Support Service to help develop governance arrangements tailored to regional contexts.
I was also pleased to convene the inaugural DESA-SIDS retreat in March. The invaluable feedback provided will shape DESA’s strategic approach to supporting implementation of the ABAS in 2025 and beyond. I look forward to your continued engagement as we develop DESA’s SIDS Strategy.
In closing, I reaffirm DESA’s unwavering support. I wish you fruitful deliberations and look forward to impactful outcomes.
Thank you!