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Small States

Commonwealth at the Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)

The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will be hosted by Antigua & Barbuda in May 2024, bringing world leaders together to agree on a bold new programme of action for SIDS.

This new 10-year plan will focus on practical and impactful solutions to keep SIDS afloat and give their citizens a sustainable and safe future.
Read news - Commonwealth at the Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)

“Small Island Developing States' challenges are serious, but together we are more than equal to them,” says Commonwealth Secretary-General at SIDS4

Commonwealth-Secretary-General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, delivered a compelling plenary speech today at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) held in Antigua and Barbuda. Addressing the critical challenges faced by small states, she underscored the Commonwealth's unwavering commitment to championing their causes on the global stage.
Read news - “Small Island Developing States' challenges are serious, but together we are more than equal to them,” says Commonwealth Secretary-General at SIDS4

SIDS4 side event: Closing the Blue Funding Gap - Mobilising a Blue Innovation and Impact Fund for Big Ocean States

29 May 2024 to 29 May 2024
(AST)
Event
Big ocean states (BOS), or Small Island Developing States (SIDS), control 30% of global oceans, holding unique leverage to foster a sustainable blue economy, crucial for attracting necessary investments in Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14).

Commonwealth Champions Youth-Led Solutions at SIDS4 Summit

The Global Children and Youth Action Summit (GCYAS) has concluded with a powerful call to action from young people from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), urging world leaders to address critical issues such as education, climate change, healthcare, and poverty. The Summit, held at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus in Antigua from May 24-26, is followed by the Fourth UN Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) Conference from May 27-30.
Read news - Commonwealth Champions Youth-Led Solutions at SIDS4 Summit

Commonwealth Secretary-General to Advocate for Small States at UN SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, will be in Antigua and Barbuda next week for the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4). The conference, taking place from 27-30 May 2024, aims to establish a bold new programme of action to support the sustainability and resilience of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) over the next decade.
Read news - Commonwealth Secretary-General to Advocate for Small States at UN SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda

Commonwealth ministers to join forces to strengthen health systems amid escalating threats

Commonwealth health ministers, senior government officials, global health leaders and civil society groups will meet in Geneva from 24 to 25 May 2024 to examine practical interventions that will enable countries, particularly small and vulnerable states, to strengthen their health systems and recover effectively from exogenous shocks.
Read news - Commonwealth ministers to join forces to strengthen health systems amid escalating threats

SIDS4 Side event: Accelerating Just and Equitable Energy Transitions in Small Island Developing States

29 May 2024 to 29 May 2024
(Antigua and Barbuda Time)
Event
The event organised by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Government of Barbados, Government of Vanuatu and UK FCDO will showcase the potential of transforming SIDS economies while also achieving sustainable energy access and transitioning to cleaner and more resilient energy systems. The theme of the event is 'Revitalising SIDS Economies for accelerated and sustainable growth'.

SIDS4 Side Event: Ocean Health, Human Wealth: The importance of coral reefs

29 May 2024 to 29 May 2024
(Antigua and Barbuda Time)
Event
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, UNDP and UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and the Government of Belize are hosting this event on the side lines of SIDS4 on the theme 'Revitalising SIDS Economies for accelerated and sustainable growth'.

Global Children and Youth Action Summit and SIDS4 Conference

24 May 2024 to 26 May 2024
(Antigua and Barbuda Time)
Conference
The SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit (GCYAS) will be held from 24 – 26 May 2024, ahead of the Fourth UN SIDS Conference (SIDS4), which is set to take place in Antigua and Barbuda from 27 – 30 May 2024. The Commonwealth Secretariat is partnering with UNICEF, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and Ashley Lashley Foundation to support this Summit.

Commonwealth at the Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)

The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will be hosted by Antigua & Barbuda in May 2024, bringing world leaders together to agree on a bold new programme of action for SIDS.

This new 10-year plan will focus on practical and impactful solutions to keep SIDS afloat and give their citizens a sustainable and safe future.

Side Event: Harnessing digital economy in Asia and the Pacific

28 May 2024 to 28 May 2024
(Antigua and Barbuda (GMT-4))
Event
The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States dubbed ‘SIDS4’ will be held on 27 – 30 May 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. The Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and The Pacific Community (SPC) are hosting a side event at SIDS4 in Antigua and Barbuda.

Side event: SIDS Global Business Network Forum - Policy Crafting an Enabling Business Environment

26 May 2024 to 26 May 2024
(Antigua and Barbuda (GMT-4))
Event
The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States dubbed ‘SIDS4’ will be held on 27 – 30 May 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. The Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UNOHRLLS) is holding a side event at the upcoming SIDS4 conference in Antigua and Barbuda.

2nd Meeting of the Small States Advocacy Champions

17 April 2024 to 17 April 2024
(EDT )
Event
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.

Side Event: Building Resilient Economies for a Common Future

29 May 2024 to 29 May 2024
Event
The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States dubbed ‘SIDS4’ was held on 27 – 30 May 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. The Commonwealth Secretariat held a side event at the conference on 29 May on the theme of 'Building Resilient Economies for a Common Future', in Room 3 at the American University of Antigua.

Empowering Commonwealth Small States: CSSO Trade Advisers lead preparatory workshops for WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference

In the first weeks of February trade advisers, Kim Kampel and Tanvi Sinha from the Commonwealth Small States Office (CSSO), based in Geneva, concluded two hybrid workshops to support Commonwealth Small States with their technical preparations for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), which takes place in Abu Dhabi from 26 to 29 February 2024.
Read news - Empowering Commonwealth Small States: CSSO Trade Advisers lead preparatory workshops for WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference

Commonwealth stress tests new financing structure for SIDS

The Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD), held a Cambridge Policy Simulation Lab (CPSL) on February 4-5 to stress test the Common Pool Asset Structuring System (COMPASS), a tool which has emerged from the 'Their Future, Our Action' initiative, that focuses on enabling small states to attract sustainable finance.
Read news - Commonwealth stress tests new financing structure for SIDS

'Blueing' the NDCs: An Updated Review of Ocean-Based Nationally Determined Contributions of Commonwealth Countries

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the main mechanism by which countries communicate their ambitions and efforts in support of the Paris Agreement. Starting in 2023 and every five years thereafter, governments take stock of the implementation of the Paris Agreement, known as the global stocktake (GST). The GST holds countries accountable for their collective efforts to achieve the targets they set themselves in 2015,and tracks the progress made. Recent analysis of country NDC commitments shows that progress is not happening ‘at a pace or scale consistent with achieving’ the goals of the Paris Agreement. Urgent transformational change is needed.
Read publication - 'Blueing' the NDCs: An Updated Review of Ocean-Based Nationally Determined Contributions of Commonwealth Countries