By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 23, 202ebsit4 – Leaders from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) worldwide will convene in Antigua and Barbuda May 27 – 30 “to deliver a bold new plan of action to build resilience on the road to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”
Announcing this today on its website, the United Nations said, “The Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) will bring together governments, the UN, civil society, the private sector and leading youth voices to turn new ideas into action, raise new pledges of support and discuss the key challenges that lie ahead for the vulnerable group of nations.
“There are 39 SIDS, from conference hosts Antigua and Barbuda to Vanuatu in the South Pacific, which were recognised as a special case for support during the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the game changing first Earth Summit.”
The U.N. website noted that SIDS are “in the crossfires of multiple crises: climate change, the economic and social repercussions of COVID-19, and a crisis of debt,” adding that the “pandemic hugely impacted all island nations, especially those dependent on tourism.”
“Global lockdowns left large holes in islands’ coffers and severely set back efforts to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals,” the article said. “Meanwhile, climate action is becoming increasingly urgent, as weather-related disasters have doubled in two decades: with island nations both most vulnerable and least responsible.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department today announced that U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland will lead the U.S. delegation. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele J. Sison, and U.S. Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Lisa Carty will serve as alternate heads of delegation.
“This once-in-a-decade conference will address the theme of “Charting the course toward resilient prosperity,” aiming to help SIDS address their unique development challenges and accelerate their sustainable development,” the Statement Department said. “SIDS is a group comprised of 39 UN member nations and 18 associate members of regional commissions facing unique challenges related to geography. The SIDS Conference is an opportunity to discuss how the world can help SIDS address their development challenges and accelerate their sustainable development.”
The State Department said members of the U.S. delegation “will participate in formal conference sessions and side events, emphasizing the importance of our partnership with SIDS to achieve our many shared goals.”
Other meembers of the U.S. delegation include:
- Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular and International Affairs Carmen Cantor
- Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols
- Ambassador to the U.S. Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Roger Nyhus
- Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum Frankie Reed
- Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management Nicole R. LeBoeuf
- Ambassador to the Republic of the Maldives Hugo Yon
- Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation Ambassador Jessye Lapenn
- Lieutenant Governor of Guam Joshua Franquez Tenorio
