15 August 2014: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon submitted a report to the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly on ‘Follow-up to and implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (A/69/319).’ The report provides an update on the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) and the Mauritius Strategy (MSI) and on preparation for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which took place at the beginning of September.

The report highlights SIDS’ priorities for the Conference outcome and the post-2015 development agenda, which include: eradicating poverty, ensuring equality and achieving environmental sustainability; balancing the use of land for agriculture, food and water and economic and social development with biodiversity preservation and ecosystem conservation; recognizing climate change as a cross-cutting issue in accordance with common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) and respective capabilities; promoting healthy, productive and resilient oceans; and accelerating the shift to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns.

Additional priorities include: elaborating indices to reflect SIDS’ vulnerabilities; establishing a robust global monitoring system to strengthen accountability at all levels and ensure implementation of the BPoA, MSI, and the Conference outcome; and supporting the ongoing follow-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), the post-2015 development agenda and the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF).

On MSI implementation, the report addresses ongoing efforts by: SIDS; development partners, including Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates and the EU; UN agencies, programmes and funds; and intergovernmental organizations.

The report also discusses: the International Year of SIDS; Conference preparations; and SIDS in the broader sustainable development landscape, including their relationship to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It concludes by emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive strategy towards the sustainable development of SIDS through genuine and durable partnerships.

The report was prepared in response to UNGA Resolution 68/238 adopted in late 2013. [Publication: A/69/319] [Secretary-General’s Reports to UNGA 69][IISD RS coverage of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States]