Alliance of Small Island States

On 15 July, H.E. Ilana V. Seid, Chair of AOSIS and Permanent Representative of Palau, together with Permanent Representatives of AOSIS Member States and the Italy–AOSIS Fellowship community of current Fellows and alumni, gathered with H.E. Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, the Hon. Claudio Barbaro, Undersecretary of State for the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, and other representatives of the Government of Italy at the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations to celebrate the longstanding friendship between Italy and AOSIS.

The reception reaffirmed the enduring partnership between Italy and AOSIS and highlighted the Italy–AOSIS Fellowship as one of its flagship achievements. The Fellowship continues to strengthen the capacity of Small Island Developing States, reflecting Italy’s sustained commitment to supporting SIDS through meaningful cooperation and investment in future leaders.

𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘪, 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 (𝘚𝘐𝘋𝘚) 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘐𝘕𝘊-5.4 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 2027.
Throughout the discussions, SIDS continued to advance key priorities:

🟤𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗦;
🟤𝗡𝗲𝘄, 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲;
🟤𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻;
🟤𝗔𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

As we await INC Chair's informal reference document and summary report of the meeting, as well as the second in-person Heads of Delegation Meeting in Bangkok this September, SIDS continue to mobilize and engage between negotiating sessions to take steps toward landing an agreement that will effectively deliver a global concerted approach to addressing one of the most pressing environmental issues affecting our livelihoods, health and environment.



🧭

As the High-Level Political Forum on wraps up its final week, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to lead pivotal discussions with global partners for more urgent action to achieve the SDGs within the next four years. Our leadership can be seen through the two side events, held on July 14, which focused on fast-tracking the implementation and youth engagement:

From VNRs to Partnerships: Accelerating SDG Implementation in SIDS hosted by Belize and Portugal, Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS, UN DESA, UN-OHRLLS

Future Makers: Youth Engagement and Youth Voluntary Reviews for Systemic Change hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN, with Tonga and the European Youth Forum as co-organizers.

Seven Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—Jamaica, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Kiribati, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the Kingdom of Tonga— presented their Voluntary National Reviews at this year’s UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

As each SIDS shared their progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they also conveyed the tough realities on the ground, pointing to escalating climate risks and disasters in addition to tightening fiscal space. Despite this, as custodians of the vast ocean areas and some of the planet’s most biodiverse ecosystems, SIDS continue to punch far above our weight in protecting critical global public goods that benefit the entire planet.

However, SIDS cannot carry the 2030 Agenda alone. Despite our outsized efforts, overall progress remains far too slow and uneven. With the four years remaining, all nations must step up to deliver on these collective commitments.

Small Island Developing States took center stage at on July 9, with a full day of conversations focused on advancing sustainable development and delivering for .

We began the morning with 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗗𝗚 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, featuring a powerful virtual address from AOSIS Chair, H.E. President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. of the Republic of Palau.

The momentum continued into the afternoon with crucial discussions on:

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝘂𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹).

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗦 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗗𝗜-𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜).

While AOSIS is made up of diverse nations that some might think have little in common, our shared challenges and goals deeply unite us.

AOSIS Chair President Whipps perfectly captured the urgency of why we are here at when he stated: “If the world cannot deliver sustainable development for its most vulnerable states, then the Sustainable Development Goals have failed for everyone, everywhere… Let’s get to work.”

On July 8, a special event at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development ( ) shifted the focus to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, the engine of sustainable development.

At the event, Palau, in its capacity as Chair of AOSIS, emphasized that support for sustainable energy systems does far more than keep the lights on - it strengthens climate resilience, reduces disaster risks, and drives long-term sustainable development.
Despite the remarkable commitment and progress demonstrated by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Chair stressed that greater global support remains essential, reminding participants: “Partnerships will determine whether implementation succeeds. SIDS cannot undertake this transformation alone.”

Achieving sustainability for SIDS is deeply tied to empowering our response to . We urgently need enhanced and more accessible . This is what our SIDS reps are fighting for right now.

SIDS representatives are currently in Manila for the 9th meeting of the Board of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage, alongside our SIDS co-Chair of the Board Ms. Camila Minerva from the Dominican Republic.

Priorities for SIDS include:
- Operationalising Direct Budget Support as a key access modality for the FRLD, by unlocking technical matters with the Trustee

- Reviewing the status of requests under the Barbados Implementation Modalities, which is the interim phase of the FRLD

- Calling for further capitalisation of the FRLD given the oversubscripton during the BIM phase, and making progress on the resource mobilisation strategy and replenishment processes of the FRLD

- Providing additional technical and institutional support to SIDS by operationalising the Country Support Systems.

For SIDS, this 9th Board meeting is a critical milestone in turning loss and damage needs into tangible financing for loss and damage responses.

On July 7th, AOSIS in partnership with UN-OHRLLS Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, and Belize co-organized an event on the sidelines of the 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 on 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙎 - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙄𝘿𝙎 𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘿𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮. The session facilitated an open exchange between SIDS and development partners, detailing key achievements as well as persistent barriers to progress.

These insightful discussions have generated significant momentum ahead of the biennial SIDS Global Business Network Forum and the forthcoming inaugural Island Investment Forum, scheduled to convene in Malé, Maldives, from August 23–25, 2026. The gathering is designed for cross-sectoral collaboration to drive the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS forward by forging avenues necessary to unlock finance, mobilize partnerships, and deliver tangible, lasting impact.