The 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) is taking place from 27 to 30 May 2024 in the Caribbean State of Antigua and Barbuda. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) comprise 37 UN member nations spread across three key regions: the Caribbean, the Pacific and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
In the 30 years since the recognition of the special case of SIDS for sustainable development, the world has drastically changed but resilient prosperity for these islands is still an aspiration rather than an achievement. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are in the crossfires of multiple crises with climate change and economic vulnerability being the most detrimental. Around 75% of the coral reefs of the SIDS are threatened by climate change. In the Caribbean alone, costs to adapt to climate impacts absorbs almost 10% of its economy.
The United Nations is committed to supporting these islands and Greece has been actively involved in the process, by offering partnerships which can help the SIDS’s surmount the obstacles set by the small size of the land, as well as the geographical remoteness of these islands. A maritime nation herself, through the centuries, Greece has become a shipping industry powerhouse and a trailblazer in engineering solutions to overcome the limitations of insularity.
Addressing the General Debate of SIDS 4, Greece reiterated its commitment to help the SIDS strengthen state and productive capacities, while at the same time, and together with the European Union, support the valuable work of regional organizations, such as for example the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).