SIDS

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP OF 77, AMBASSADOR NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF QATAR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, TO THE MINISTERIAL INTER-REGIONAL MEETING OF THE SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BARBADOS PROGRAMME OF ACTION ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (Nassau, The Bahamas, 26 – 30 January 2004)

1. “On behalf of the Group of 77, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Government and the people of The Bahamas for hosting this important meeting. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the important role of the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) for providing the leadership for this important meeting. Let me also take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for the commitment of Mr. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Secretary-General of the Mauritius International Meeting. We also welcome his initiative to mobilize resources for the participation of the SIDS in the preparatory process and in the international meeting. I am confident that this preparatory meeting to the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States to be held in Mauritius from 30 August to 3 September 2004 will help in generating concrete ideas and initiatives for the development of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

2. This important meeting takes place at an important historical juncture as a unique opportunity for SIDS to create a new vision for the future. The process of globalization continues to effect fundamental transformation of the international economic system and to pose increased challenges to the SIDS in a number of different areas. The Group of 77 fully supports this important process.

3. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) the international community reaffirmed its recognition of the specific constraints faced by the SIDS and underscored the need for particular support in their efforts to advance sustainable development. The SIDS represents an important component of the Group of 77, and we value and support their commitment to address their unique vulnerabilities and pursuing sustainable development.

4. The Group of 77 welcomes the adoption of General Assembly resolution 57/262, which decided to convene the international meeting in Mauritius from 30 August to 3 September 2004 and defined the preparatory process leading up to that meeting. We consider the international meeting in Mauritius an event of critical importance and we are confident that it will result in renewed political commitment and practical and pragmatic action to further implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA), particularly by the wider international community. We welcome the positive outcome of the preparatory meetings that have been held and we look forward to further support by the international community in the remaining preparatory activities, including the outcome of this inter-regional meeting. What has clearly emerged from the regional meetings of the SIDS is the continued resolve and commitment by the SIDS to implement the actions and measures contained in the BPoA.

5. The outcomes of the regional meetings provide further evidence that since the adoption of the BPoA in 1994, the SIDS have become even more vulnerable on all three pillars of sustainable development. Their fragile environment has worsened as a result of climate change, sea level rise, climate variability, and their susceptibility to natural disasters and other global environmental phenomena. Their economic prospects have deteriorated with the decline in commodity prices, loss of traditional markets and declining levels of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Meanwhile, their social cohesion is severely compromised with challenges such as transnational crime, illicit drugs and HIV/AIDS. That’s why the High-level Conference on South-South Cooperation held in Marrakech (16 – 19 December 2003) called on the international community to enhance policies to support the SIDS efforts to meet the significant challenges posed by their structural vulnerabilities, and called on the international community to honour and renew their commitments to the Barbados Programme of Action and to support all efforts being undertaken by the SIDS, including through South-South cooperation, to achieve the international development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration.

6. We believe that the Barbados Programme of Action remains faithful to the core sustainable development aspirations of the SIDS. We are, however, convinced that the approach to review its implementation must embrace new and emerging socio-economic issues recognized as critical obstacles to the sustainable development of the SIDS. We note with concern the unsatisfactory progress of implementation of the Programme of Action for the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and call on the international community, especially the bilateral and multilateral donors to honour and renew their commitments to the Programme of Action and all efforts being undertaken by the SIDS to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

7. In this context, I would like to register our concern as Group of 77 regarding the special problems and vulnerabilities of the SIDS, in particular the lack of market access and absence of special and differential treatment, which continue to create barriers for these countries to participate effectively in a rapidly globalizing world economy. Despite great efforts have been undertaken by the SIDS at the national level, there has not been adequate support at the international level. In this regard, we emphasize the urgent need to maximize international support through, inter alia, strengthening the existing institutional agreements, mobilizing new, additional and external resources, and improving coordination mechanisms so as to focus and harmonize support for the SIDS priorities.

8. The regular incidence of natural disasters and their negative effects on the development of small and vulnerable economies has affected negatively the economies of the SIDS. In this context, we call on the international community also to increase assistance for setting up and strengthening national, subregional, regional and international disaster prevention, preparedness and management mechanisms, including early warning systems at the regional and international level.

9. The Small Island Developing States are yet to achieve the objectives as laid down in the Barbados Programme of Action. A renewed commitment of the international community is paramount for the full and effective implementation of the Programme of Action. In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to call on the donor community to honour their commitments to the implementation of the Programme of Action and to support all efforts undertaken by the SIDS to attain the Millennium Development Goals.

10. Finally, I would like to reiterate the position expressed by the 27th Annual Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the G-77 held in New York, on October 25, 2003, and I quote, “We note with concern the unsatisfactory progress of implementation of the Programme of Action for the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and call on the international community especially the bilateral and multilateral donors to honour and renew their commitments to the Programme of Action and all efforts being undertaken by SIDS to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We also urge their full support and effective participation in the International Meeting hosted by the Government of Mauritius in 2004 to comprehensively review the Programme of Action for SIDS”, end of quote. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate once again the solidarity and support of the Group of 77 to this process and to reaffirm our commitment for the effective implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action.

I wish all success to your deliberations. Thank you.”

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