6 December 2011: The EU announced that it has signed an agreement with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to grant EUR470,000 to assist small island developing States (SIDS) in the Eastern and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region (ESA-IO) in implementing the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation (MSI) of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS, by providing an institutional coordination mechanism.

According to the EU, the grant covers the development of a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for the implementation of the MSI at national, regional and international levels. DESA is expected to mobilize international and local experts to the region for pilot project and other activities over the next two years.

In addition to the M&E system, the programme will focus on establishing best practices in mitigating vulnerability of SIDS in key areas such as coral reefs, a disaster insurance scheme, sustainable development and climate change, as well as developing mechanisms to attract investment in the region.

SIDS in the ESA-IO region include Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Zanzibar (part of Tanzania). According to the EU, the programme aims to pave the way towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) for these SIDS, and intends to build on lessons learned from the Caribbean and Pacific regions. Activities will be coordinated by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). [EU Press Release]