Small Island Developing States urged to find sustainable solutions

THE need for world leaders to take decisive action to reduce poverty and put the world on a sustainable and equitable development path was stressed this week by UNDP Associate Administrator, Rebecca Grynspan.

Her call came as the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) prepare for their Third International Conference in Samoa.

In her opening remarks at the interregional preparatory meeting at Hilton Barbados, she emphasised that rapid environmental degradation, climate change and growing inequalities needed immediate attention.

Ms. Grynspan highlighted that while SIDS have made significant strides towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in health, education, gender equality and water and sanitation, action must be taken to address pollution, rising sea levels, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss. She said: “These are problems that SIDS, in most cases, have done very little to cause and that exacerbate structural vulnerabilities on top of the normal challenges developing countries already face.”

Speaking to close to two hundred delegates from over forty countries, she explained that while these challenges were recognised by member states in Rio and it was agreed that environmental, social and economic objectives must be pursued simultaneously, the concept has not yet been put into action.

Ms. Grynspan said that the time has come to turn promises into action, making the 2014 Apia Conference in Samoa a vehicle for global action, and urged SIDS to “continue to be effective leaders and role models, demonstrating in practice the change they want to see.”

According to Ms. Grynspan, the Samoa conference could also build on the commitment from leaders to increase support for SIDS, which would help to generate the financing, technology and support it needs, and influence the post 2015-development agenda as well. (TL)