8 July 2011: The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) Subregional Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea (AIMS) Countries has convened in Mahé, Seychelles, to develop AIMS inputs into the preparatory process for the UNCSD in June 2012.
The preparatory meeting, which convened from 7-8 July 2011, gathered over 30 participants, including representatives from governments, UN bodies, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations. Participants discussed creating a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, the need for a blue economy addressing oceans and related issues, the institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD), and emerging issues and partnerships. Participants adopted recommendations, including on the “blue-green” economy and strengthening the regional institutional framework for sustainable development, through building on the work of the Indian Ocean Commission and developing links with regional UN entities.
On the green economy in the context of sustainable development, the AIMS subregion recommends: assessing opportunities, risks and challenges associated with the transformation to a green economy; developing a coordinated approach to access sustainable financing; collecting and sharing existing best practices and regional expertise in the AIMS subregion; further refining the concept of the blue-green economy in the context of the subregion through additional research and analysis; promoting partnerships and exploring opportunities and incentives for investment; exploring opportunities for kick-starting seed financing; and establishing a benefit-sharing mechanism for small island developing States (SIDS) to access benefits from their marine resources.
On strengthening the regional institutional framework for sustainable development, the AIMS subregion recommends developing a regional IFSD in AIMS, with consideration given to the IOC as a potential framework, and exploring ways to link the existing UN entities in the subregion. The recommendations also provide the functions of the framework.
The AIMS subregion also recommends strengthening global-regional linkages and networking between the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and AIMS to build a stronger voice at the UN and other international fora. The subregion also agreed to continue to advocate for a specific SIDS category, congratulating the Maldives for taking this forward by tabling a resolution at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), calling for a technical analysis of the issue by ECOSOC’s Committee on Development Policy (CDP). [IISD RS Coverage of Meeting]