The implementation of Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS) underscores the critical importance of international partnerships in addressing the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including climate change, sustainable development, and economic resilience. As stated in ABAS “ The next ten years are critical for SIDS. A new context is emerging wherein the economic, social and environmental as well as geopolitical threats to SIDS development are so great that they can only be ameliorated by a reinvigorated enabling environment that gives meaningful effect to their sustainable development. Without the full support of the international community, SIDS will endure potentially far-reaching consequences ”.
By fostering collaboration with international organizations, donor countries, and development partners, ABAS seeks to leverage financial resources, technical expertise, and policy support to strengthen its national capacity. These partnerships are vital in promoting sustainable livelihoods, enhancing environmental protection, and securing a green, inclusive, and resilient future for SIDS.
In line with SDG17, the side event will showcase the EU – AOSIS partnership in implementing the Agenda with the aim to create a unified effort to build resilience and improve the quality of life for the people of SIDS, ensuring that their voices are heard and their development priorities are supported on the global stage.
Guided by a member States driven Steering Committee, the SIDS Partnership Framework has since its launch ensured that partnerships for SIDS have remained high on the UN’s agenda, providing a multi-stakeholder platform for reviewing progress made by partnerships for SIDS, and for sharing of good practices and lessons learned among all stakeholders, on an annual basis.
In May 2025 the Steering Committee proposed recommendations on how to strengthen the SIDS Partnership Framework and the SIDS Global Business Network and its Forum and this side event provides an opportunity to address them in detail.
Partnership is the engine that will drive ABAS forward. Whether through financing, capacity building, or knowledge exchange, the international community must work hand-in-hand with SIDS to address their priorities — from protecting their oceans and biodiversity, to investing in sustainable livelihoods and resilient infrastructure. In this sense, the side event will also address how the Global Gateway, the EU’s strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world, is enforcing the EU – SIDS partnership and contributes to the implementation of ABAS.
The EU and its member states together constitute the largest donor to the SIDS, providing more than €1.2 billion in the form of bilateral Official Development Assistance, as well as contributions channelled through multilateral organisations. Further, the EU channels billions worth of funding to the SIDS through the European Investment Bank in the form of credit lines to local credit institutions. Through Global Gateway, we are leading the shift beyond the traditional donor-recipient model to leverage the investment capacity of the private sector, by improving the business environment and investment climate, eliminating technical trade barriers, ensuring a level playing field and using financial tools to crowd in funds. Through this framework of action, the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) provides guarantees to private sector investors through development financing institutions.
Our country-specific approach allows us to cater for vulnerability in the EU’s investments and implementation, as ODA eligibility is not the only criterion to access funding. The shift to international partnerships means that through Global Gateway we can establish partnerships with any country if we have shared policy objectives. The EU also funds a €35 million programme of support for African, Caribbean and Pacific SIDS and coastal countries, including the Bio space programme in the Caribbean, the Bio space programme in the Pacific, and support to the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund in the Western Indian Ocean.
ABAS also insisted on “ the role of the United Nations system in supporting SIDS to achieve their sustainable development objectives, and requested all United Nations development system entities to contribute to the implementation of, and to integrate, the ABAS into their strategic and work plans, in accordance with their mandates”. The participation of UN in the side event will be particularly important.
2025 is a pivotal year for the SIDS Partnership Framework and Global Business Network, and we need to propose concrete ways to make these platforms more inclusive, effective, and impact-driven.
Programme (90 min)
Welcoming remarks (30 min):
- Stavros Lambrinidis, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the United Nations
- Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations
- Ali Naseer Mohamed, Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations
Panel and open discussion (55 min):
- Rabab Fatima, Under Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (TBC)
- Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Ignacio Ybáñez, Ambassador at large – EU Special Envoy on Small Island Developing States
- Ingrid Jackson, Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations
- Viliami Va’inga Tone, Permanent Representative of the Kingdome of Tonga and the Chair of the SIDS DOCK Executive Council
- Interventions by Member States and Other Participants
Closing (5min)
- Ingeborg Ter Laak, Member of European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the Delegation to the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly