Global Partnerships Urged to Mitigate Small Island States’ Challenges

A call has been made for global partnerships to mitigate external economic, social, and environmental challenges that significantly impact Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such as Jamaica.

This appeal comes from Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, who contends that it is through multilateral mechanisms and cooperation that the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) must seek to shape an external economic environment, conducive to their development.

“No amount of national effort to promote our development will be sustainable without international partnerships, goodwill, commitment, and action at the global level to deal with global economic governance and climate change,” he adds.

In this regard, he says the AOSIS process is, therefore, vital to Jamaica and CARICOM, pointing out that it helps to keep SIDS issues at the forefront of the United Nations (UN) agenda.

The Minister underscored these points during his report, delivered during Friday’s (September 12) sitting of the Senate at Gordon House, on the outcome of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held in Apia, Samoa, from September 1 to 4.

Senator Nicholson informed that a major outcome of the conference was the formal adoption of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.

The plan outlines the commitment of international partners to support and invest in the sustainable development of SIDS.

The priorities identified are strongly connected with UNESCO’s programme of work. The Organization will join forces with its Member States to translate the SAMOA Pathway into concrete actions.

Senator Nicholson, who led Jamaica’s delegation to the high level UN conference, was accompanied by Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, and other officials from both ministries.

The Third International Conference on SIDS was the largest global event ever held in the Pacific Islands.

It was attended by more than 3,000 delegates from 180 countries and various regional and international organisations.