Small Island Developing States
Description
The Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) adopted in 1994, further complemented by The Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI) of 2005 and MSI+5 Outcome document, recognized that although they are afflicted by economic difficulties and confronted by development imperatives similar to those of developing countries generally, small island developing States (SIDS) have their own peculiar vulnerabilities and characteristics. SIDS’ unique and particular vulnerabilities are highlighted in “The Future We Want”, adopted at The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20) that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012 - their small size, remoteness, narrow resource and export base, and exposure to global environmental challenges and external economic shocks, including to a large range of impacts from climate change and potentially more frequent and intense natural disasters (para 178). SIDS continue to address those structural and external challenges to achieve their sustainable development.
The Third International Conference on SIDS was held in Apia, Samoa, in September 2014, with the overarching theme of “The sustainable development of small island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships”. Nearly 300 partnerships were announced at the conference and monitored through the Partnership Platform. The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway (Samoa Pathway) adopted at the Conference addresses priority areas for SIDS and calls for urgent actions and support for SIDS’ efforts to achieve their sustainable development.
UN-DESA , leads inter-agency coordination within the United Nations system through the Executive Committee of Economic and Social Affairs Plus (ECESA Plus), and among UN and non-UN entities active on SIDS issues through the Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) on SIDS, to monitor the implementation of the BPOA, MSI, and the Samoa Pathway, as well as the progress being made in the SIDS partnerships. Moreover, UN-DESA, and particularly the SIDS Unit provides technical assistance and advice, supports intergovernmental processes and reports on progress made in the implementation of the BPOA, MSI, and the Samoa Pathway.
For more information and documents on this topic, please visit this link
UN MEMBERS (37)
Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS) (8)
Caribbean (16)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Pacific (13)
Micronesia (Federated States of)
NON-UN MEMBERS/ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF REGIONAL COMMISSIONS (20)
American Samoa
Anguilla
Aruba
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Commonwealth of Northern Marianas
Cook Islands
Curacao
French Polynesia
Guadeloupe
Guam
Martinique
Montserrat
New Caledonia
Niue
Puerto Rico
Sint Maarten
Turks and Caicos Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for SIDS
The need and call for the development of indices that adequately capture the special vulnerabilities of small island developing States (SIDS) has been around since the adoption of the Agenda 21. The call was repeated in the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA), mentioned in the Mauritius Strategy and re-echoed in the S.A.M.O.A Pathway.
For the last 3 decades, a plethora of UN General Assembly resolutions also carried similar repeated calls, the latest of which was in December 2020, Paragraph 8(a) of Resolution A/RES/75/215, where the Assembly calls on the UN Secretary-General:
“To provide recommendations as part of his report on the present resolution to the General Assembly at its 76th session on the potential development and coordination of work within the UN system on a multidimensional vulnerability index for small island developing States, including on its potential finalization and use;”
This MVI page carries and reflect the discussions and work towards the possible development and use of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI).
THE COWRIE - SIDS TIMES NEWSLETTER
A newsletter on Small Island Developing States, prepared by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs with inputs from members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) on SIDS.
- The Cowrie 2021 Edition - COVID-19 Recovery
- The Cowrie - Financing in SIDS (2019)
- The Cowrie - SIDS Times Magazine
- The Cowrie Special Edition 1 – AIMS Regional Preparatory Meeting Report
- The Cowrie Special Edition 2 – Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting Report
- The Cowrie Special Edition 3 – Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting Report
- SIDS Times - The Cowrie (June 2018)
- SIDS Times - The Cowrie (December 2017)
- SIDS Times - The Cowrie (September 2017)
ECLAC Caribbean’s monthly newsletter
Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) on SIDS
The IACG is an informal consultative mechanism at the working level in which the SIDS focal points of relevant UN agencies as well as international and regional intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) come together to exchange views and information. The SIDS-focused and hybrid membership composed of the UN and non-UN agencies make it an effective tool for maintaining the momentum created at the Third International Conference on SIDS in Samoa, 2014, and for keeping SIDS issues high on the international agenda. This group also explores ways and means to enhance coordinated and collaborative actions in support of SIDS in implementing the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway (Samoa Pathway) based on their respective areas of expertise.
Learn more about the IACG here.
IACG Meeting Summaries:
- https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/SIDS_IACG_MEETING_SUMMARY_19_SEPTEMBER_2024_FINAL.pdf
- https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/SIDS_IACG_MEETING_SUMMARY_FINAL_APRIL24.pdf
- https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/Summary_of_Briefing_to_IACG_18Dec23_DESA.pdf
- https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/SIDS_IACG_MEETING_SUMMARY_01June2023_FINAL.pdf
- https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/SIDS_IACG_Summary_Final_MARCH2022.pdf
SG Report Submissions
Paragraph 20 of resolution 75/215 requested the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly, at its seventy-sixth session, a report on the follow-up to and implementation of the Samoa Pathway, including on progress made and continuing challenges faced, and on the efforts to assist small island developing States to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Submissions received are as per below: (submission listed in alphabetical order).
SAMOA Pathway Indicators
Pursuant to Paragraph 20 of resolution 74/217, the Secretariat conducted a study to identify the Samoa Pathway priority areas not covered by the Sustainable Development Goals or the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–20, and if any, to develop those Targets and Indicators.
- Development of a Monitoring Framework for the SAMOA Pathway -https://sdgs.un.org/documents/final-report-development-framework-monitoring-samoa-pathway-43955
- Anex I - https://sdgs.un.org/documents/annex-i-priority-actions-dimensions-34263
- Anex II - https://sdgs.un.org/documents/annex-ii-priority-actions-post-2015-policies-allignment-34264
Disaster Risks Funding Landscape
UNGA Resolution A/RES/74/217 requested the Secretary-General to conduct, in consultation with Member States, all relevant United Nations system entities and other relevant stakeholders, an examination of the disaster-related funding and support environment, with a view to the possible development of a targeted voluntary disaster fund, mechanism or financial instrument, coordinated with and complementary to existing mechanisms, to assist small island developing States in managing disaster risk and building back better after disasters, and to report thereon at the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly.
- Disaster Risk Financing for SIDS Draft Final Report - https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/Disaster_Risk_Financing_forSIDS_DraftFinalReport.pdf
SG Report Submissions
Paragraph 21 of resolution A/RES/76/203 requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly, at its seventy-seventh session, a report on the follow-up to and implementation of the Samoa Pathway, including on progress made and continuing challenges faced, on the implementation of the present resolution, building on the discussions and outcomes of the high-level meeting to review progress made in addressing the priorities of small island developing States through the implementation of the Samoa Pathway, convened in September 2019, and on the efforts to assist small island developing States to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Submission received are as per below: (in alphabetical order).
- SG Report: https://sdgs.un.org/documents/report-secretary-general-samoa-pathway-48589
- Analysis: https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/Analysis.pdf https://sdgs.un.org/documents/part-c-qualitative-assessment-caribbean-final-eclac-48432
- Letter from PM of Antigua and Barbuda to Host the 4th SIDS Conference: https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/Letter_PMofAntigua%26Barbuda_%20toHost_the4th_SIDS_Conference.pdf
- MVI Panel ToR 2021: https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/MVI_Panel_TOR_%202021.pdf
- The Interim Report on MVI for SIDS July 2022: https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/The_Interim_Reportonthe_MVI_%20July2022.pdf
- SG Report on the implementation of UN General Assembly resolution 73/229, entitled "Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations": https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/441/40/PDF/N2244140.pdf?OpenElement
- Submission received are as per below: (in alphabetical order).
Paragraph 44 of the General Assembly Resolution A/RES/77/245 requested the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly, at its 78th session, a report on the follow-up to and implementation of the Samoa Pathway, including on progress made and continuing challenges. The Secretariat requested member States, UN system organizations and entities and all stakeholders to provide information accordingly. Below are the responses received, posted in their entirety. The Secretariat conveys its upmost gratitude to all contributors and apologizes that due to strict word count restrictions, not all information was reflected in the Secretary-General’s Report.
Submission received are as per below: (in alphabetical order).
S-G Report: https://sdgs.un.org/documents/report-secretary-general-samoa-pathway-2023-54020
SG Report on the follow-up to and implementation of the SAMOA Pathway:
SG Report Submissions:
- Submissions received are as per below: (in alphabetical order)
SG Report on the implementation of UN General Assembly Resolution 77/163 entitled “Towards the sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea for present and future generations”:
- https://sdgs.un.org/documents/s-g-report-caribbean-sea-2024-56688
- Submissions received are as per below: (in alphabetical order)
