STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ALLIANCE OF SMALL ISLAND STATES (AOSIS)

Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Strategies for SDG Success
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)

Madam Vice-President,

I have the honor to deliver the following statement on behalf of the Alliance of Small
Island States (AOSIS).

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda
Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) by the General Assembly. For SIDS, ABAS is not just
another aspirational document; it is a blueprint.
It reflects the unique circumstances of SIDS, sets out a ten-year action plan, and
outlines the support we need to achieve resilient prosperity.

While we highlight the importance of the SDGs under review at this HLPF, for SIDS,
our development story is not only about individual goals.

Our challenges are interconnected. We cannot improve livelihoods without
addressing debt burdens and we cannot protect our oceans without access
to finance and technology. This is why SIDS need strategies that respond to our
special circumstances.

And it begins with partnerships.
No matter how clearly SIDS articulate our priorities, without full support of
the international community and adequate resources, we will continue to fall short.
This is why SDG17—the enabler—is especially critical.

Coming out of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development
(FfD4), the message is clear: the global financial architecture remains outdated.
GDP per capita does not capture SIDS’ unique vulnerabilities.

We welcome the Sevilla Commitment as a shared commitment to close the gap
between promise and progress on financing for development. Now is the time for
delivery. Its full and effective implementation is critical to SIDS’ efforts to achieve
the ABAS and the SDGs.

Its strong calls for the mainstreaming of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index
(MVI) to guide development policies and access to concessional finance, and
the operationalization of the Debt Sustainability Support Service (DSSS), highlights
their centrality to unlocking the fiscal space SIDS urgently need.

We also urge support for the full operationalization of the SIDS Center of
Excellence. This is a key platform that will be driven by SIDS knowledge and
will support data-driven solutions towards long-term resilience and prosperity.
Last but not least, we must ensure that commitments on SDG 14 translate into
action. For SIDS, the ocean is not just a resource—it is the bedrock of our identity,
economy, and livelihoods.

Madam Vice-President,
We have built the ABAS to be our roadmap. Now we call on the HLPF to play
its role in accelerating progress in the implementation of our commitments.

Thank you.