The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) will be held from May 27 to 30 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Under the overarching theme of ‘Charting the course toward resilient prosperity’, the Conference will aim at assessing the ability of SIDS to achieve sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Small Island Developing States • Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a distinct group of 39 States and 18 Associate Members of United Nations regional commissions that face unique social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities.
• The three geographical regions in which SIDS are located are: the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea. • They are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, with atolls of white sand beaches, mountain ranges covered in cloud forest, historic ports and towns, and agricultural landscapes. • SIDS were recognised as a special case both for their environment and development at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• The aggregate population of all the SIDS is 65 million. This group faces unique social, economic, and environmental challenges. • SIDS face a host of challenges including for many, their remote geography.
As a result, many SIDS face high import and export costs for goods as well as irregular international traffic volumes. Yet, they must rely.