Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. Small island developing States constitute a third of our membership. They are a heterogeneous group of countries, that are geophysically and economically distinct from the rest of us. It is this uniqueness that makes them especially vulnerable to the ravages of climate change and economic disruption, and globally recognized as a special case for Sustainable Development.

3. Thirty years ago, in full recognition of the battle ahead of them, the Small Island Developing States (SIDs) formed a coalition that now constitutes 44 small island and low-lying coastal developing states of the Caribbean, Pacific and Atlantic and Indian Ocean and the South China Seas, Known as AOSIS. It has been a voice for the most vulnerable, striving to ensure that the specific challenges they face are addressed, particularly through the implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the Sustainable Development blueprint for SIDS. Five years on from the adoption of the SAMOA Pathway we are offered the opportunity to reflect on progress and gaps, and ultimately chart a decisive path forward to accelerate support and action.

4. The window of opportunity available to us to turn the tide on climate change is rapidly closing. Survival for many SIDS demands action now. We therefore, cannot continue to deliver statements of support without commensurate action. Climate change action needs to be urgent and amplified.

5. The interconnectedness of the issues that beset SIDS requires a holistic approach. One cannot separate the development of SIDS from climate change action, nor can we address climate change without focusing on the lack of appropriate and adequate resources to meet their adaptation needs or reconstruction costs in post disaster situations. There is no easy fix. There is also no way to properly navigate the future of SIDS without taking decisive actions to implement the SAMOA Pathway as a whole.

6. SIDS have long advocated for global action that doesn't view their uniqueness as an impediment. They have instead called for support to manage a situation they did not create but must contend with. The Group of 77 and China continues to show full solidarity, in thought and deed with SIDS.

7. As we close out this high-level week, let us not lose sight of the principles we have long supported - the strength of multilateralism and the belief that in reaching the furthest behind first we are uplifting all of us. Therefore, we must support SIDS in their implementation of the SAMOA Pathway, to guarantee them a meaningful future.

I thank you.