21 February 2019: During the first 2019 meeting of the Steering Committee of the small island developing States (SIDS) Partnership Framework, participants discussed upcoming work for 2019 and 2018 activities. They also considered the status of SIDS partnerships, initiatives to strengthen the monitoring and review of partnerships, and ways to catalyze new partnerships.
In September 2014, the Third International Conference on SIDS resulted with an intergovernmentally agreed outcome document, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA Pathway), which was followed by the establishment of the SIDS Partnership Framework. The Framework aims to review and monitor existing partnerships, and to stimulate the launch of new, “genuine and durable” partnerships for the sustainable development of SIDS. The SIDS Partnership Framework is guided by a Steering Committee open to all UN States Members and members of UN specialized agencies. It is currently co-chaired by Lois Young, Permanent Representative of Belize, and Geraldine Patricia Byrne Nason, Permanent Representative of Ireland.
On 21 February 2019, members of the Steering Committee met in New York to discuss 2018 achievements and to consider a draft work plan and expected outputs for 2019. As part of the work plan, they considered the annual 2019 Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, for which the exact date should be decided during the next meeting of the Steering Committee. That meeting will convene at the Ambassadorial level either in late March or early April.
During the 21 February meeting, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) presented activities carried out in 2018 with regards to the SIDS Partnership Framework. The presentation, available online, refers to the 2018 annual Global Multi-Stakeholder Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Partnership Dialogue that took place in July 2018, and to regional and inter-regional SIDS Partnership Dialogues that were organized in Mauritius, Tonga, Belize, and Samoa in preparation for the High-level midterm review of the SAMOA Pathway scheduled for 27 September 2019. Per the presentation, the dialogues provided opportunities to share solutions and experiences and led to the launch of 23 new partnerships.
The presentation also reports that: there is a “steady rise in the number of partnerships” since 2014; a relatively large number of partnerships have been completed, and “many more” will be completed shortly; all Samoa Pathway priority areas have been addressed, but in an uneven way; and many partnerships have had “tangible on-the-ground” impacts.
On strengthening and the monitoring and review of partnerships for SIDS, the presentation outlines the issuance of SIDS Partnership Criteria and Norms by the co-chairs of the Steering Committee, stemming from discussions during regional partnership dialogues and the need better define what is meant by “durable and genuine partnership.” According to the criteria, SIDS partnerships should be: SIDS specific; measurable and monitorable; achievable and accountable; and resource-based and results focused. In addition, they should set timelines for their deliverables and be transparent. The presentation also gives an overview of a draft SIDS Partnership Toolbox to monitor and review SIDS partnerships. Among other components, the Toolbox includes partnership case studies that address: the advantages of a partnership approach and potential challenges; what is a genuine; what is a durable; and what is an effective partnership. It is based on discussions and inputs from the regional SIDS Partnership Dialogues.
On upcoming activities, the presentation states that the SIDS Action Platform will include more best practices, case studies, partnership innovations, challenges, and learning material, and will be searchable by country and region, and by SDG, in addition to being searchable by SAMOA Pathway’s priority areas. It also announces the launch of the Partnership Accelerator for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on 11 April 2019 at UN Headquarters in New York. The Accelerator seeks to build the partnering skills and competencies of organizations to develop and implement SDG partnerships, and support effective action networks for the SDGs such as multi-stakeholder partnership platforms and mechanisms for engaging business and other stakeholders and catalyzing new partnerships. It is a collaborative initiative between DESA, the UN Office for Sustainable Development, the UN Office for Partnerships, and The Partnering Initiative.
The Steering Committee meeting was organized by the DESA Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG), together with the UN Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and SIDS (OHRLLS) and the UN Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM). [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources]