At the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Rwanda, Commonwealth leaders welcomed the joint UN-Commonwealth Advocacy Strategy Towards Achieving the SDGs in addressing the vulnerabilities of Small States; and the Heads also noted that the official announcement of the Small States Advocacy Champions was made at the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States on 22 June 2022 alongside CHOGM.
On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington DC, Commonwealth ministers and high-level officials will gather for the 2nd Meeting of the Commonwealth Small States Advocacy Champions.
When:
17 April 2024, 1030 - 1145 (EDT)
Where:
IMF HQ2 Building, Lecture Room HQ2-01A-280A&B
Background:
The UN-Commonwealth Joint Advocacy Strategy for Small States is driven by the Small States Advocacy Champions who are at the Ministerial level and calls for collective action to address the vulnerabilities of small states and to influence the economic agenda to recognise and support these countries.
Ministers discuss the following themes:
- Debt vulnerabilities amidst interlocked crises facing the global economy and disproportionately affecting small states.
- Spending pressures to finance pressing socio-economic needs alongside greater climatic shocks, resulting in elevated debt levels for small states.
- Innovative debt restructuring instruments.
- Inclusive debt relief initiatives.
- Consideration of climate vulnerability in debt sustainability analyses.
Media
Media Pool: There is a media pool opportunity for the opening remarks only of the meeting from 10:30-10:45 AM. Media must arrive at 10:20 AM EDT. To request access to the media pool please email Rena Gashumba on ([email protected]). Please note that media must already be accredited to attend the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings.
Media interviews: The meeting will be chaired by Hon. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology, St Vincent and the Grenadines. To request an interview with Minister Gonsalves, please email [email protected].
