UNDP at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)

April 11, 2024
SIDS.
Event Details

27 - 30 May 2024

AST

Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda

New York - The 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) from 27-30 May in Antigua and Barbuda is convened by the United Nations and Member States. It will bring together national, regional and local governments, NGOs, community groups, research institutions and academia, the private sector, IFIs, foundations, the media, and UN organizations. The conference is expected to adopt the next 10-year Plan of Action (PoA) for SIDS. 

Under the overarching theme of ‘Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity’, SIDS4 will focus on action on climate change and disaster risk reduction, building resilience from damage caused by climate-related disasters, conservation and sustainable use of ocean, solutions for debt distress, access to finance and strengthening the financial ability of SIDS to withstand shocks, digital transformation, mobilization of partnerships, and development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the next POA. 

UNDP will use the opportunity of SIDS4 to spotlight successful initiatives and solutions that brought transformative results during the Samoa Pathway implementation, e.g. SIDS Data Platform, Digital Readiness Assessments, and preparation of ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). UNDP’s flagship initiative – the Blue and Green Island Integrated Platform (BGI-IP) will illustrate UNDP’s future programmatic footprint to provide integrated support that addresses the multi-dimensional nature of the challenges faced by SIDS and the need for accelerated action through digitalization and sustainable finance. 

List of UNDP’s engagement at the SIDS4 Conference: 

Date Event How to join Organizers/Partners 

27 May 

12:00-1:30pm 

Building Advanced Digital Network Infrastructure to Achieve Resilient Prosperity

 

More information here

Room 11 

Cabo Verde, Dominican Republic, Samoa, EU, UNCTAD, UNDP

27 May 

4:00-5:30pm 

 

How to Use Debt-for-Climate Swaps as Tool of Financing and Aid Effectiveness through collaborative Partnerships 

More information here

Room 7 

DCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cabo Verde, World Bank, UNDP 

28 May 

8:30–9:40am 

UNDP Ocean Innovations: Powering Sustainable Blue Economy in SIDS and coastal LDCs 

More information here 

Virtual event

Mauritius Research and Innovation Council, Surrey Space Centre, Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) of the Island School, University of Exeter, UNDP Comoros Country Office, UNDP 

28 May 

12:00-1:30pm 

Leveraging Risk Data and Analytics in delivering Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 

Co-organized by UNDP

 

More information here.  

Room 9 

CDRI, UNDP

28 May

12:00-1:30pm 

Financing the Frontlines: Effective Climate Finance to Secure the Future of the Blue Pacific

More information here

Room 8 

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tongo, Cook Islands, UNCDF, WFP, UNICEF, UNDP 

28 May

1:15-1:45pm

Press Conference: Revitalizing SIDS Economies to build Resilience

Participants:

UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner

Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director, UN Tourism

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director, UN Global Compact

 

All media present

Location 2 or 3

UN 

28 May

2:00-3:30pm 

UNDP Corporate Side Event: Accelerating Sustainable Blue and Green Transition in SIDS

List of speakers:

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator

H. E. Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister of Samoa 

H. E. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda 

H. E. Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of Timor Lest

George Gray, Director of the Inclusive Growth Hub, UNDP

Carlos Rodriguez, CEO, Global Environment Facility

Valerie Hickey, Global Director, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, World Bank Group 

H. E. Nilda da Mata, Minister of Environment, São Tomé & Príncipe 

H. E. Pennelope Beckles, Minister for Planning & Development, Trinidad & Tobago 

Johan Strid, Director, Ocean Race Summits

 

Register here

Room 9 

UNDP and GEF, with BGI Partner Agencies (World Bank, WWF, UNEP, FAO & IUCN), and Ocean Race

 

28 May 

4:00-5:30pm 

Island Ingenuity, Investment Unleashed – Blended Finance and Digital Solutions for Green and Blue Economic Growth 

More information here.  

Room 8 

UNCDF, Fiji, France, Samoa, Pegasus Capital, UNDP

28 May

6:30-8:30PM 

Blue and Green Island Integrated Programme (BGI-IP) Reception 

Co-hosted by UNDP and GEF

List of speakers:

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO, Global Environment Facility

H. E. Orlando Habet, Minister for Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction, Belize

H. E. Flavien Joubert, Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change, and Environment, Seychelles

Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative, Mauritius & Seychelles

George Gray, Director of the Inclusive Growth Hub, UNDP

 

Upon invitation onlyUNDP , GEF

29 May

8:00-9:30am

Digital Transformation for Resilience in the Eastern Caribbean: from crises to opportunities

The link will be available soon 

Room 9

UNRCO Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, Antigua & Barbuda, UNDP

29 May 

8:00-9:30am 

Unlocking NDC Finance in SIDS through Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs)  

Co-organized by UNDP

 

More information here

Room 5 

UN DESA, OECD, UNICEF, INFF Facility, UNDP

29 May

11:00-11:30am

Press Conference with UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner and GEF CEO, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez on the launch of the Blue and Green Island Integrated Programme (BGI-IP)

All media present 

Location 2 or 3

UN, UNDP

29 May

12:00-1:30pm 

 

 

Ocean Health, Human Wealth: The Importance of Coral Reefs 

Co-organized by UNDP

More information here 

Room 5 

 

International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat, Belize, The Commonwealth Secretariat, The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, UNDP

29 May

2:00-3:30pm 

Digital Horizons: Building Resilient Futures through Innovation in Pacific SIDS 

 

The link will be available soon 

Room 3 

UNRCO Micronesia, UNOPS, UNICEF, UNCTAD, ITU, Palau, Federal States of Micronesia, Nauru, PIANGO, UNDP 

30 May

8:00-9:30am

Blended Finance for Blue & Green Transition in SIDS – Showcasing Global Fund for Coral Reefs Solutions

Register here 

Room 8

Global Fund for Coral Reefs, International Coral Reef Initiative, UNEP, UNCDF, UNDP

30 May

10:00-11:30am

SDGs Localization Tailored for SIDS

More information here.

Room 4

Cabo Verde, UNRCO Cabo Verde, EU, Local2030 Coalition,  UNDP

 

Official list of total side events released by SIDS Secretariat.