Media Advisory | Facing climate and debt challenges, Small Islands take next steps toward new 10-year development plan ahead of major UN Conference

Facing climate and debt challenges, Small Islands take next steps

toward new 10-year development plan ahead of major UN Conference  

PRESS BRIEFING

Friday, 26 January 2024, 12:30 pm EST

Live on UN WebTV

 

At the frontlines of the climate crisis and facing major headwinds in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are working towards the transformative change needed to ensure their success in the next decade and beyond. Island nations, together with partners from the rest of the world and members of civil society, the private sector and others, are meeting in New York this week for the first Preparatory Committee Meeting laying the groundwork for the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), to take place in Antigua and Barbuda from 27 to 30 May 2024.

Conference organizers from Member States and the UN will present an overview of what to expect in Antigua and Barbuda, as well as an update on progress made so far towards addressing SIDS-specific challenges including limited resources, high trade dependence and exposure to external shocks. 

WHAT

Press briefing about the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)  

WHO

• Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, and Secretary-General of the SIDS4 Conference
• Rabab Fatima, UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, and Special Adviser for the SIDS4 Conference
• Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda, host of the SIDS4 Conference
• Ali Naseer Mohamed, Permanent Representative of Maldives, co-chair of the SIDS4 Preparatory Committee

WHEN             Friday, 26 January, 12:00 p.m. EST

WHERE          UN Press Briefing Room, S-237
(Live on http://webtv.un.org)

 

More information:

Website for the SIDS4 Conference: un.org/smallislands

Website for the SIDS4 Conference Preparatory Meeting: https://sdgs.un.org/events/firstprepcommSIDS4

Hashtag: #SIDS4, #SmallIslands

 

Media contacts:

Francyne Harrigan, UN Department of Global Communications, harriganf@un.org

Ariel Alexovich, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, alexovich@un.org

Conor O’Loughlin, UN Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, conor.oloughlin@un.org