28 August 2014: The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) pre-conference Forum on youth, hosted by the UN Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), focused on identifying opportunities for young people from SIDS to engage proactively in opportunities relating to sustainable development. The forum shared successful, innovative partnerships and initiatives to determine how these could be replicated to address development challenges.

Interactive regional discussions took place to foster the development of partnerships within the Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Seas (AIMS), Caribbean and Pacific regions.

Thematic sessions focused on climate change and biodiversity, water and sustainable energy, education, entrepreneurship and employment, and social development in SIDS, health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), youth and women. The session closed with the adoption of a youth-oriented outcome statement that will be used during the main SIDS conference.

The Forum took place on 28 August 2014, in Apia, Samoa, in advance of the Third International Conference on SIDS. The conference will continue until 4 September 2014, on the theme ‘The Sustainable Development of SIDS Through Genuine and Durable Partnerships.’

UN Member States called for convening the conference at Rio+20 in June 2012, noting that SIDS are a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique vulnerabilities. [IISD RS Meeting Coverage]