Addressing Vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States
UNDESA Technical Webinar Series highlighting the calls and commitments of UN Member States towards finding solutions for the unique vulnerabilities and development needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The content covers resolutions, pathways, and the urgent actions required to address the challenges faced by SIDS, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
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Presentation Transcript
UNDESA Technical Webinar Series: Webinar 5 22 April 2021 Pierre Encontre United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 1
2010: a powerful call by member States In 2010, the General Assembly called for "concrete recommendations" on "what improved and additional measures might be needed to more effectively address the unique and particular vulnerabilities and development needs of small island developing States". (A/RES/65/2 of 25 September 2010, paragraph 33) 2
2011: reiteration by member States In 2011, the Economic and Social Council, in turn, called for "independent views " on " what improved an additional measures might be needed to more effectively address the unique and particular vulnerabilities and development needs of small island developing States ". (Resolution E/2011/44 of 5 December 2011, para. 1) 3
The 2014 SAMOA Pathway In September 2014, UN member States in the Third International Conference on SIDS reaffirmed their commitment to take urgent and concrete action to address the vulnerability of small island developing States . At the same time, they underscored the urgency of finding additional solutions to the major challenges facing small island developing States in a concerted manner . (SAMOA Pathway, Preamble, paragraph 22) 4
Latest GA resolution on SIDS echoes the S. Pathway (The GA) welcomes the continuing commitment of the international community to take urgent and concrete actions to address the vulnerabilities of SIDS and to continue to seek new solutions to the major challenges facing them . (A/RES/75/215 of 21 December 2020, paragraph 7) 5
2020: a SIDS leaders voice With COVID now adding to the numerous shocks we ve had to face, we are enduring the most destabilizing crisis since World War 2 We need to repurpose [the UN system organizations] through a GLOBAL LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE because there ought to be a plan for the most vulnerable . (29 April 2020) 6
2019: another SIDS leaders voice The climate crisis has taken away from us the ability to control our own destiny The urgency for us is to be able to build resilience. But adaptation costs money and the sums that were promised under the Paris Agreement are not reaching the SIDS I call for a revisioning of the classification of SIDS on vulnerability grounds, and for a type of Marshall Plan for our countries . (Prime Minister Allen Chastanet of St. Lucia, 10 September 2019, UN Trade Forum in UNCTAD) 7
The CDPs Economic Vulnerability Index 2018 1. 2 GEOGRAPHICAL EXPOSURE INDICATORS: Population; Remoteness 2. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE INDICATOR: Share of population in low-lying areas 3. 2 ECONOMIC EXPOSURE INDICATORS: Export concentration index; Share of primary sectors in GDP 4. 1 HUMAN SHOCK INDICATOR: Victims of natural disasters as a proportion of population 5. 1 PHYSICAL SHOCK INDICATOR: Agricultural Production Instability Index 6. 1 ECONOMIC SHOCK INDICATOR: Goods and Services Exports Instability Index 8
Toward UNCTADs EVI+: two new components 1. An exposure to climate change indicator: FERDI s Physical Vulnerability to Climate Change Index 2. An economic exposure indicator: UNCTAD s Productive Capacities Index (to replace the share of primary sectors in GDP ) 9
Two main uses of the EVI or UNCTADs EVI+ 1. To continue to provide statistical evidence of the exceptional vulnerability of SIDS: * for immediate purposes (SIDS access to concessionary financing), and * for systemic purposes (to support the plea of SIDS for SIDS status and SIDS treatment 2. To enrich the definition of SIDS: * by providing a 5th criterion beside S-I-D-S 12
UNCTADs message 1. Supporting the resilience-building efforts of SIDS is the UN s goal behind 75/215 2. Country-specific vulnerability profiles constitute the most realistic approach to directly supporting individual SIDS in these efforts (inventory of shocks; measurement of productive capacity gaps; identification of resilience-building avenues) 3. Systemic progress toward SIDS status and SIDS treatment is awaited by SIDS 4. Sound vulnerability measurement is critical in the latter line of action 5. UNCTAD considers the EVI 2018 a sound basis for UN action along these lines 6. UNCTAD is developing a SIDS-friendly variant of the CDP s EVI 13
Thank you for your attention pierre.encontre@unctad.org
