Statement
Delivered by H.E. Ms. Ilana Victorya Seid
Excellencies,
Under-Secretary-General,
Assistant Secretaries-General,
Distinguished colleagues,
Good morning.
It is my honour to join you today and to offer a few opening reflections on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.
Let me begin by expressing appreciation to UN-DESA for convening this second SIDS Ambassadorial Retreat, and to Ambassador Gafoor and the Permanent Mission of Singapore for hosting us. This retreat comes at a critical moment. A moment that calls not only for reflection, but above all, for delivery.
We meet against a backdrop of deepening global uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, and fragmentation in international cooperation continue to shape our world daily. At the same time, the accelerating impacts of climate change, ocean degradation, and biodiversity loss continue to erode the resilience of our societies and economies.
It is precisely in this context that the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS must remain our central focus.
It is important to remember that ABAS is not simply a framework. It is our collective commitment to shift from vulnerability to resilience, and in its implementation: from recognition to results.
But achieving this requires more than ambition.
It requires a United Nations system that is coherent, responsive, and equipped to deliver in a targeted and sustained manner.
This is why today’s theme of coherence, capacity, and results is so timely.
First, coherence.
For SIDS, coherence across the UN system is not simply an administrative aspiration. It is a necessity. Fragmentation of support dilutes impact.
We therefore look to UN-DESA to continue playing a central role in ensuring that SIDS priorities are systematically integrated across its divisions and across the broader UN architecture, particularly as we advance follow-up to SIDS4, the Partnership Steering Committee and ongoing intergovernmental processes.
Second, capacity.
Many of our countries continue to face structural limitations in institutional and technical capacity.
Targeted, demand-driven capacity-building must be scaled up. This includes support for data and statistics, financing strategies, and the operationalization of key platforms and tools such as the SIDS Centre of Excellence, the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and the ABAS monitoring and evaluation framework.
Third, results.
Ultimately, our cooperation must translate into measurable outcomes on the ground for our peoples. This retreat provides an important opportunity to move beyond general commitments and to identify concrete deliverables with clear actions, defined partnerships, and follow-up.
Excellencies,
The UN80 process and discussions on a potential single SIDS entity also presents a timely opportunity.
As discussions on UN reform and system-wide effectiveness advance, it is essential that SIDS perspectives and needs are fully reflected and our mandates are safeguarded. A more efficient and impactful UN system must also be one that is better tailored to the realities of SIDS.
Therefore, I encourage today’s retreat to not be just a stocktaking exercise. But as a working session. We, as Ambassadors, are here to provide clear guidance: where the gaps are, where support is most needed, and how UN-DESA can best align its work with the priorities of our countries.
Our expectation is simple: that this exchange will result in a more coordinated, more targeted, and more effective UN-DESA offer for SIDS.
In closing, let me reaffirm AOSIS’ strong commitment to working in partnership with UN-DESA and the wider UN system to ensure that the collective vision enshrined in the ABAS is realized.
Indeed, the challenges we face as an international community are significant.
But so too is the opportunity before us, if we act with clarity, coordination, and purpose.
I thank you.
