2024 will see the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), a once in a decade opportunity for transformational change to support acutely vulnerable states. On the frontline of climate change, SIDS represent 25% of developing states, steward one third of the global ocean and protect unique but fragile biodiversity. Currently SIDS face unique economic problems due to their narrow economies, high trade dependence, small state systems, diseconomies of scale and remoteness. This includes susceptibility to economic and natural disaster shocks.
In 2022, the OECD-DAC and AOSIS engaged in a dialogue process to deepen mutual understanding and collaboration. This process led to two substantive meetings considering the mutual challenges faced by both groups in supporting Small Island Developing States to transition from the acute vulnerability to sustainable resilience. A High-Level Meeting in the margins of the World Bank Annual Meetings in October 2022 committed to establish a new joint OECD-DAC and AOSIS Taskforce to develop a partnership for sustainability and resilience to be launched at SIDS4 in 2024.
This meeting seeks to build consensus on the substance of the prioritised areas for future collaboration and partnership in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the Taskforce. It will deliver a critically important part of the overall work of the Taskforce, developing the detail of the proposal that will be shared with parent bodies on future areas for collaboration to be launched at SIDS4
The event is co-convened by the co-chairs and secretariat of the Taskforce process: AOSIS, Antigua & Barbuda, the OECD and the UK and will will take forward the work of the Taskforce through open, collaborative and supportive engagement on high priority issues for future partnership:
- Ensuring that the prioritised issues identified by the Taskforce are underpinned by a substantive understanding of areas for collaboration, action and delivery.
- Addressing the risks and challenges of collaboration and constructively building the ethos of a partnership approach.
- Enabling reporting and engagement with the parent constituencies/bodies of the two groups
In partnership with
