8 October 2014: The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) included six multi-stakeholder partnership dialogues aimed at launching new partnerships, sharing successes, and documenting progress on key issues important to SIDS’ sustainable development. Summaries from the dialogues’ Chairs, issued as a UN General Assembly document of 8 October 2014, highlight the array of partnerships committed to at the conference. The SIDS Conference took place in Apia, Samoa, from 1-4 September 2014.

The multi-stakeholder partnership dialogues focused on: sustainable economic development, chaired by Barbados; climate change and disaster risk management, co-chaired by Japan and Spain; social development in SIDS, health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), youth, and women, chaired by Trinidad and Tobago; sustainable energy, chaired by Romania; oceans, seas, and biodiversity, chaired by Mauritius; and water and sanitation, food security, and waste management, chaired by Seychelles.

The summaries highlight the importance of increased multi-sectoral support to SIDS to stave off the effects of climate change and promote sustainable development for island communities. The significance of the oceans was emphasized in relation to the need for conservation of marine resources, resilience to sea-level rise, and the economic growth potential from sustainable fishing and tourism. NCDs were highlighted as a threat to the health and development of island communities, while the education of women and youth was discussed as essential for the future. The opportunities for sustainable energy development in SIDS were emphasized numerous times, with delegates highlighting the potential for solar and wind energy technologies.

Partnerships were forged between UN Member States, civil society, industry, science, and local communities to address the topics highlighted above. Pacific countries formed a new partnership to combat NCDs, known as the Apia Challenge. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) launched the Lighthouse Initiative to promote renewable energy in SIDS. Numerous governments announced the creation of new marine protected areas (MPAs) and initiatives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Almost 300 SIDS partnerships were announced or scaled up in Samoa, totaling US$2 billion in financial commitments. [Publication: Summaries by the Chairs of the multi-stakeholder partnership dialogues (A/CONF.223/11)] [IISD RS Meeting Coverage] [SIDS Action Platform]