Statement
Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver these remarks on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.
At the outset, AOSIS wishes to congratulate Mr. Alexander De Croo on his appointment as Administrator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). We look forward to working closely with you as we deepen our cooperation with UNDP as a key development partner to SIDS across the globe, especially at this time of immense uncertainty.
Indeed, our dialogue today comes at a moment of profound consequence for multilateralism, development cooperation, and for those reliant on the development system, especially small island developing states.
Today, access to affordable finance, indebtedness, and small economies of scale remain pressing challenges to overcome. Poverty and unemployment remain major constraints for SIDS, with youth unemployment often exceeding the global average in some island states.
For this reason, UNDP remains a critical partner for SIDS – often the first responder, a trusted convener, and the institution closest to our realities given its presence on the ground.
Therefore, as we further our deliberations under the UN80 Initiative, AOSIS views reform not as an end in itself, but as an opportunity to ensure that the United Nations can better serve those who depend on it the most.
UN80 must result in a development system that is more responsive, less fragmented, and better equipped to deliver. As such, proposals for reconfigurations or mergers need to ensure that UNDP itself is adequately and predictably resourced, empowered and present in SIDS. Efficiency gains must never come at the expense of accessibility for SIDS or responsiveness to their unique circumstances.
AOSIS also emphasizes the importance of predictable, flexible, and concessional support for SIDS. UNDP’s ability to deliver for SIDS depends not only on mandates, but on the financing model that underpins its work. We therefore call on partners to ensure that UNDP is sufficiently supported to remain a strong and reliable partner for SIDS.
Mr. President,
AOSIS also urges UNDP to continue to integrate the objectives of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) into its strategic planning and development activities, with a clear timeframe for implementation.
In this regard, we welcome UNDP’s support and engagement in the following areas:
First, on financing, AOSIS calls for UNDP’s continued leadership in facilitating SIDS’ access to climate finance, development funds, partnerships, and investment opportunities. In this context, initiatives such as the Island Investment Forum should be supported as effective platforms to connect governments, investors, and development partners, and to mobilize sustainable investment in areas including renewable energy, infrastructure, sustainable tourism, and the blue economy.
Second, to ensure that UNDP support is tailored to the specific realities of SIDS, we underscore the importance of incorporating the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index into policy-making. The MVI provides a critical tool to more accurately assess vulnerability beyond income metrics, enabling the design of development interventions that address structural risks and build long-term resilience.
Third, the SIDS Center of Excellence has strong potential as a collaborative platform for capacity- building, technical assistance, innovation, and knowledge and technology transfer. AOSIS encourages UNDP to deepen engagement with the Center to help SIDS build productive capacities and sustainable development pathways.
In closing, AOSIS reaffirms its strong support for UNDP and its mission. We look forward to continued engagement to ensure that the objectives of the ABAS and the pledge to ensure that no one is left behind translate into tangible outcomes for our people.
We stand ready to work with you, Mr. Administrator, to ensure that UNDP can continue to deliver effectively and decisively for Small Island Developing States.
I thank you.
