2 November 2018: Small island developing States (SIDS) committed to strengthen their efforts to tackle the impacts of climate change and achieve the SDGs, during a preparatory meeting for the midterm review of the SAMOA Pathway. The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the outcome of the Third International Conference on SIDS conference in 2014, covers the period 2015-2025, and promotes international assistance to address challenges faced by small islands.

The High-level Mid-Term Review of the SAMOA Pathway will take place in September 2019 to review progress made in addressing the priorities of SIDS, and is expected to result in “a concise action-oriented and inter-governmentally agreed political declaration.” A series of regional preparatory meetings took place in the SIDS regions in May, June and August 2018, culminating in the Inter-regional Preparatory Meeting, which convened from 30 October to 1 November 2018, in Apia, Samoa. The Apia Outcome adopted at the meeting will serve as the basis for the mid-term review.

The Apia Outcome reaffirms the SAMOA Pathway as the overarching framework for guiding SIDS in their global, regional and national development efforts, and as an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Countries recommit to priority areas, such as climate change mitigation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), the sustainable management of oceans, and improved connectivity among SIDS, and between SIDS and other States. They call for increased international support over the next five years for capacity building, data collection, and monitoring and review, in order to implement the SAMOA Pathway.

The Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS) regional preparatory meeting convened from 22-23 May in Mauritius, preceded by a business forum from 20-21 May; the Pacific regional meetings took place from 20-21 June in Tonga; and the Caribbean regional meeting took place on 6 August in Belize. These meetings were organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) through the SIDS Unit, the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and SIDS (OHRLLS) and others.

A Partnership Dialogue also preceded the inter-regional meeting, emphasizing the importance of strengthening capacity in developing, monitoring and reviewing durable partnerships for SIDS. The Dialogue resulted in a set of SIDS Partnership Criteria and Norms, an analysis of existing SIDS partnerships, and a SIDS Partnership Toolbox, which includes online learning material based on case studies and best practices, and tools for assisting in the monitoring and review of SIDS partnerships. [Inter-regional meeting website] [Regional meetings and partnership dialogues website] [DESA presentation on review process] [Partnership dialogue website] [ReliefWeb news] [UN press release] [Mid-term review website] [SAMOA Pathway]