The vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS will be the topic of discussion at the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that will take place from 1-4 September 2014 in Apia, Independent State of Samoa.
During the event, whose overarching theme is "The sustainable development of small island developing states through genuine and durable partnerships", much attention will be given to presentations and discussions that showcase existing or proposed partnerships between SIDS and the wider international community.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean will participate in this Partnership Platform, presenting opportunities in energy and finance as well as in the promotion of regional coordination.
Also during the Conference, ECLAC will host a main side event on 3 September entitled "the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS revisited - it's all about size", in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Secretariat, which will take the form of a ministerial panel discussion.
The speakers will address challenges related to the vulnerability of Caribbean SIDS as a result of small size and resulting limited capacity. The areas of trade and finance, governance and institutional capacity, disaster management and regional integration will be discussed. The issue of classification of the majority of Caribbean SIDS as middle income countries based on Gross Domestic Product will also be a key area to be analyzed and it is expected that opportunities arising from small size will be explored within the context of regional integration.
It is anticipated that the panel discussion will result in tangible, practical, realistic and pragmatic actions that may be pursued by Caribbean SIDS, with support from the international donor community in strengthening their resilience. It is also envisaged that the Conference will focus the world's attention on a group of countries that remain a special case for sustainable development, in view of their inherent uniqueness and particular vulnerabilities.
ECLAC will also join other United Nations' regional commissions, such as the Economic and Social Commission for Asia an the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in another side event that will focus on how the regional commissions, inter-governmental organizations and regional partners will respond to the outcomes of the Samoa Conference.
In this event, focused on challenges being faced by developing countries and small economies, ECLAC will make a presentation based on regional coordination as a key element in implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA, 1994), the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI, 2005) and now the SAMOA Pathway.
Besides, the rich and diverse island cultures of the SIDS regions will be on show in the SIDS Village. The "Caribbean Corner" of the Village will display the music, cuisine, and literature of this subregion, highlighting and celebrating also its achievements in popular culture such as its sports heroes.
