Ambassador as well as Permanent Representative for Australia to the UN, Mitch Fifield, praised Under Secretaries-General Li and Rabab, as well as their offices, for their diligent work on behalf of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Australia added that to ensure that the preparatory work is coherent and complementary, we draw attention to the significance of coordination between the Department of Economic as well as Social Affairs (DESA) and Office of High Representative for Least Developed Countries, along with Landlocked Developing Countries, Small Island Developing States of the United Nations.
The Fourth SIDS Conference will take place at a crucial time. Member States must accept the use of the opportunity to reflect and envisage a stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable future for SIDS in 2024, which is one year after the 2030 Agenda’s halfway point.
It is commonly known that SIDS are among the most shock-prone nations in the world and that when shocks occur, they can quickly lose development gains, the Australian leader said.
The vulnerability of SIDS, particularly Pacific Island countries, is made worse by rising sea levels, a rise in the frequency as well as intensity of extreme weather events, as well as changing weather patterns.
Due to their distinct vulnerability, SIDS can and do suffer disproportionately from disasters. We are committed to seeing that the recommendations of the Sendai Mid-Term Review are implemented in ways that strengthen support for SIDS in their efforts to lower disaster risk and increase resilience. We were pleased that the political declaration of High-Level Meeting on Midterm Review of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction acknowledged this.
SIDS have long argued that the international development system needs to be changed to better account for their vulnerability. In light of this, we applaud the High-Level Panel to Develop a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, which is attempting to establish a consensus on what vulnerability and resilience actually imply based on the finest research that is currently available from both academic and practical perspectives. We anticipate the completion of the Panel’s work and hope that the global community will think more broadly about multidimensional vulnerability and the disproportionate impact on SIDS.
We are aware that data and statistics are a significant issue for all developing nations, but especially for SIDS. Due to obstacles including the high costs of data collection in small populations, typically dispersed over distant islands, SIDS collectively lack data for crucial development indicators. At the Fourth SIDS Conference, we look forward to collaborating with member nations to address this essential issue.
