SDWG Focal Areas

In August 2014, the Government of Samoa will be hosting its biggest event ever – the 3^rd Global Conference for Small Island Developing States (2014 SIDS Conference). In excess of 3,000 participants from the three SIDS regions – Caribbean Islands, Pacific Islands and AIMS (Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea Islands), development partners and civil society are expected to attend the week-long event. Samoa has indicated that the theme for the conference will be on “Strengthening of collaborative partnerships between SIDS and the international community.”

The 2014 SIDS Conference follows the first SIDS Conference held in Barbados (Caribbean) in 1994 that formulated the Barbados Plan of Action (BPOA) for SIDS and the second SIDS Conference in Mauritius (AIMS) in 2004 that came out with the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation (MSI) of the BPOA. The special case for small island developing states was a key outcome of the original Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 20 years later the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio+20”) also held in Rio de Janeiro, maintained this special case and called for “the convening in 2014 of a third international conference on small island developing States, recognizing the importance of coordinated, balanced and integrated actions to address the sustainable development challenges facing small island developing States.” 

In endorsing the hosting of the 2014 SIDS Conference, the 67^th session of the United Nations General Assembly held in September 2012, decided that the Conference should:

a) assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the BPOA and the MSI;
b) seek a renewed political commitment by all countriesto effectively address the special needs and vulnerabilities of SIDS;
c) strengthening of collaborative partnerships between small island developing States and the international community;
d) identify priorities for the sustainable development of SIDS for the post-2015 UN development agenda.

The UN General Assembly also adopted a decision to declare 2014 the “International Year of SIDS.”

There is a global preparatory process that has already begun for the 2014 SIDS Conference. The Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting will be held in Nadi, Fiji from the 10^th – 12^th July 2013. The regional preparations are being led by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) with assistance to national preparations available through the UNDP country offices. Regional Agencies and other UN agencies are assisting the two lead agencies through a regional Inter-Agency Coordination Group.

Regional agencies will continue to provide integrated support to this process through the CROP Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). SPREP and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) are co-chairs of the SDWG. As part of CROP’s support a series of briefs have been prepared by the SDWG to assist countries with their national reports and the regional synthesis report. CROP staff will also be available to assist UNDP and countries with the national report formulation.

A global preparatory process for the 2014 SIDS Conference commenced with the Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting in Nadi, Fiji from 10^th – 12^th July 2013. The regional preparations are being led by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) with assistance to national preparations provided through the UNDP country offices. Regional Agencies and other UN agencies are assisting the two lead agencies through a regional Inter-Agency Coordination Group.

Regional agencies continue to provide integrated support to this process through the CROP Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). SPREP and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) are co-chairs of the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG). As part of CROP’s support a series of briefs have been prepared by the SDWG to assist countries with their national reports and the regional synthesis report. CROP staff are also available to assist UNDP and countries with the national report formulation.
 
The matrix below shows the lead agencies for each briefing area and provides links to available briefs. For more information on any of these information briefs, please contact the lead individual provided.

Featured Event: Final PreCom Meeting of the 3rd SIDS Conference - Press Conference

SDWG Briefing focal areas and lead drafting agencies