Background
Permanent Missions of the Republic of Maldives and the Republic of Latvia as the Co-chairs of Steering Committee on partnerships for SIDS, UNDESA and UN-OHRLLS will organize a side event at the UN Ocean Conference 2025 on Leveraging partnerships to advance ocean-based economies in Small Island Developing States.
Date: Tuesday 10 June
Time: 14:00-15:15
Venue: Room 3 in Blue Zone, Nice, France
Topic: Advancing SIDS partnerships to accelerate sustainable ocean-based economies through environmental stewardship and economic diversification.
Keynote speaker: H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, Special Envoy for the Ocean
Background:
Oceans provide vital social, cultural, and economic benefits to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – the countries that control 30 per cent of the world's oceans through their Exclusive Economic Zones. Ocean-based economy comprises a range of economic sectors and policy framework that aimed at advancing economic and social progress while safeguarding the health of marine oceans and coastal ecosystems.
For SIDS, the ocean-based economy is integral to their survival and prosperity, with traditional sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and maritime transport to emerging activities like offshore renewable energy and marine biotechnology. Trade in ocean-related goods and services plays a crucial role in the economies of SIDS. In 2022, SIDS' exports of ocean-based goods like fisheries and ship and port equipment totaled 20 billion USD, accounting for approximately 2% of their GDP and 2.4% of global exports. Meanwhile, exports of ocean-based services from SIDS such as marine and coastal tourism, maritime transport services and marine research and development reached around 140 billion USD, about 12% of global exports and 14% of SIDS' total GDP.[1] However, the heavy reliance of SIDS on coastal and marine economies, combined with limited economic diversification makes them highly vulnerable to external shocks - a fact underscored by the collapse of their tourism sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), SIDS seeks to promote sustainable ocean-based economies by supporting opportunities in the key ocean sectors, establishing public-private partnerships and capital market instruments to improve project feasibility; and creating policies that leverage diaspora remittances, investment, and skills for research, innovation and economic development and diversification towards environmentally sustainable practices and technologies (paragraph 21 (d)(iii)).
As Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS, H.E. Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed, Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, and H.E. Ms. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations, lead the work of the SIDS Partnership Framework - mobilizing stakeholders, promoting impactful partnerships, and driving concrete actions to implement the ABAS and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Objective:
The side event seeks to advance partnerships to accelerate sustainable ocean-based economies in SIDS in key sectors like fisheries, tourism, maritime transport and emerging industries, while ensuring environmental sustainability and economic diversification. The event will also feature good examples of partnerships that are advancing ocean-based economies in SIDS.
This side event will be convened in English.
[1] UNCTAD (2024), A deep dive into ocean-related measures in the nationally determined contributions of small island developing States, UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2024/2, Sales No. E.24.II.D.34
Provisional programme
14:00-14:20
Opening segment
Welcome by the facilitator, Mr. Sai Navoti, Chief, SIDS Unit, UNDESA
Opening remarks by:
- H.E. Mr. Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, the Republic of Maldives
- Ms. Rudīte Vesere, Under Secretary of State for Environment Policy of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Republic of Latvia
- Ms. Rabab Fatima, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States
14:20-14:45
Panel discussion: How can we accelerate sustainable ocean-based economies in SIDS through partnerships?
Panelists:
- Mr. David Jose Vivas Eugui, Chief (a.i) Ocean and Circular Economy Unit, DITC, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), on ‘Blue BioTrade’ and ‘Navigating the sustainable use of coastal ecosystems and decarbonization of maritime activities though data innovation, data science, and evidence-based policy formation’
- Mrs. Patricia R. Francis, Director, Alligator Head Foundation on Alliances for a bluer, greener Caribbean (Ridge to Reef) (Winning partnership of the UN SIDS Partnerships Awards 2023, Environmental category)
- Ms. Karuna Rana, Founding Director, Big Ocean States Initiative (BOSI) (former SYAH), on ‘the Big Ocean States Innovators Gateway (B.I.G.)’
- Mr. Francois Rogers, Executive Director, Blue Planet Alliance
14:45-15:05
Interactive discussion
Guiding questions:
- What are some key approaches we can adopt through partnerships to better align and synergize our collective efforts in accelerating sustainable ocean-based economies in SIDS
- How can cross-sectoral partnerships be leveraged to develop policies that attract investment, foster research and innovation, build local capacity and support the diversification of ocean-based economies in SIDS?
15:05-15:15
Closing
- Keynote speaker: H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, Special Envoy for the Ocean
- Closing remarks by Ms. Rudīte Vesere, Under Secretary of State for Environment Policy of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the Republic of Latvia
Contact: Sae Kajima, Sustainable Development Officer, DSDG/UNDESA: kajima@un.org
