Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - Resilience

Small Island Developing States Call for Enhanced Support for a Resilient Post COVID-19 Recovery

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 18:21:00 +0000

haiti_karen_kasmauski_mcsp_and_jhpiego.jpg

Haitian patients arrive for regular check-ups and vaccinations. Due to COVID-19 they now might face disruptions to health services.

Karen Kasmauski, MCSP and Jhpiego

NEW YORK 20 and 21 October 2020 – Island leaders expressed concern about the widespread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on small island developing States (SIDS) in a joint roundtable organized by Belize, Fiji and the United Kingdom.

At the virtual meeting, island representatives called upon development partners to look beyond “one size fits all” solutions and to provide more tailor-made financial support to SIDS. They also reaffirmed the need for a collaborative effort between public, private creditors, International Financial Institutions as well SIDS in addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 and climate change.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, H.E. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, emphasised the “importance of debt relief for vulnerable countries and the need to develop new flexible development finance instruments which will support responsible, resilient and inclusive growth.”

The meeting heard that SIDS are currently facing severe health, social, economic as well as environmental challenges, all exacerbated by COVID-19.

In her keynote address, �山��Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the �山��Sustainable Development Group, Amina J. Mohammed said “It is time for the international community to help SIDS in meeting their challenges as they deserve the future that they want as we look for the future that we want.”

H.E. Baroness Sugg, UK Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development, reaffirmed that "an ongoing collaborative effort is needed which must be sustained even after COVID-19."

Increased access to finance for SIDS was a key theme of the meeting and solutions put forward included additional grants, concessional loans with longer maturities, debt swaps, use of blended finance through increased public-private partnerships and the development of green and blue bond markets for SIDS.

Complex mechanisms and bureaucratic processes were identified as challenges for SIDS to access development finance from donors like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Adaptation Fund.

As one solution to this problem, a proposed Vulnerability Index was discussed, which would help codify the real-world vulnerabilities of SIDS and be used by bilateral and multilateral donors to assess SIDS’ eligibility for development finance.

SIDS noted the recent extension by the G-20 of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Sovereign Debt Restructuring Trust Fund by the IMF as potentially helpful in pandemic recovery and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. However, most SIDS are not actually eligible for the initiative.

United Nations High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, said that

“This unprecedented perfect storm should be met with unprecedented cooperation and development funds. However, despite available evidence of the need for support for vulnerable states, the necessary commitments by development partners are insufficient, in particular for SIDS.”

She concluded, “We need to focus our common efforts on practical and impactful solutions to not only keep SIDS afloat but also for the successful implementation of the SAMOA pathway, the Paris agreement and the flourishment of SIDS and their citizens.”

Front Page Article:

Opening Statement at the "Island Resilience Forum: SC1.5NCEnotSILENCE”

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:34:00 +0000

Opening Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

29 September 2020
New York, USA

Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Resilience may well be a key theme for all of us this year where individual, community, national, regional and global resilience is put to severe tests.

We are in the midst still of a health pandemic where there is no denying that inequalities and climate change play major roles.

Global warming has already severely risked biodiversity, fisheries, air quality and the list is long. Yet, nature is the host for our being and unchecked and ever accelerating global warming threaten human existence.

We long have been given a clear warning: we must limit global warming at its minimum to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Yet, even at 1.5 degrees of warming we still run major risks.

There is no room left for complacency, inaction or worse silence. Facts cannot just be wished away.

Too many continue to drag their feet while the deadline for staying below this critical threshold is here.

The human and financial costs of inaction are already visible and are especially heavy for the Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries.

Historically speaking, these countries have made the smallest contribution to global warming. Yet, they are the most exposed to and affected by climate change.

So, it is even more remarkable how the LDCs and SIDS for decades now have been at the forefront of climate action.

They deserve our collective support and also our gratitude for relentlessly pushing for a science-based approach to one of the greatest human challenges of our times.

I thank all who have recently submitted their updated and ambitious NDCs in line with the 1.5 degree target.

This includes several SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs.

I encourage all to explicitly recognize the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 degrees in NDCs and to continuously remind ourselves and others of the costs of ignoring its findings.

Of course, the key challenge is the implementation of the NDCs.

Definitely, time has run out for words, action counts. Implementation means we must join forces.

Joining forces , in turn, means creating and working in genuine partnerships.

Partnerships ranging from South-South, to North-South, public and private, across generations, across sectors, across communities are key.

For urgent and effective climate action, the global community must undertake rapid and far-reaching action.

Support must accelerate in all areas and including in areas such as finance, technology, technical assistance, capacity building and knowledge sharing.

We continue to be in the midst of deep changes.

The climate change induced hazards, natural disasters, the COVID pandemic , the unsustainable debt levels leave many vulnerable countries unable to now also effectively invest in climate action.

Today, I wish to echo the call by AOSIS and others for a green and inclusive recovery.

The time is now to leave no one behind in a sustainable and inclusive recovery.

This is the time to invest in renewable energy transitions and end investments in carbon-based growth.

The time for mitigation and adaptation is not tomorrow, it is NOW. The more climate hazards are mitigated or adapted now, the more we can reduce the ultimate cost of loss and damage, including irreversible loss of biodiversity and the social upheavals of forced migration and economic hardships.

I applaud March For Science, the Island Resilience Partnership, YOUNGO, and AOSIS for organizing this critical meeting and for your tireless efforts.

Thank you.

Front Page Article:

State of the LDCs: Reducing Vulnerability and Strengthening Resilience in LDCs (2018)

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 16:53:00 +0000

benin_arne_hoelworld_bank.jpg

A women group that produces gari (cassawa flour) in Benin.

Arne Hoel / World Bank

This fifth report on the State of the LDCs is a call to action. The report assesses progress in achieving the goals and targets of the Istanbul Programme of Action and then focuses on what has to happen to reduce vulnerability and building resilience in the LDCs.

With two years left in the time frame for the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA), a major drive is needed by all stakeholders to overcome the challenges faced by the LDCs, as outlined in the Programme of Action. While Chapter 1 of this report reviews the progress and challenges in the implementation of the IPoA, Chapter 2 explores options on how to reduce vulnerabilities and increase resilience, aspects that are fundamental for any progress towards sustainable development in LDCs.

Download

Front Page Article:

Crisis Mitigation and Resilience Building for LDCs (2016)

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 18:48:00 +0000

tuvalu_silke_von_brockhausenundp.jpg

The main square of Nui Island (Tuvalu) is still under water over a month after cyclone pam created huge waves.

Silke von Brockhausen/UNDP

The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) constitute the poorest segment of humanity. They are also the most vulnerable countries and those with the lowest stock of human and physical capital. In recent years, LDCs have experienced a whole range of external shocks, including natural and climate-related disasters, volatility of commodity prices and aid flows and health pandemics.

Download

Front Page Article:

Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States - Resilience

Small Island Developing States Call for Enhanced Support for a Resilient Post COVID-19 Recovery

haiti_karen_kasmauski_mcsp_and_jhpiego.jpg

Opening Statement at the "Island Resilience Forum: SC1.5NCEnotSILENCE”

Opening Statement by Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States

29 September 2020 New York, USA

State of the LDCs: Reducing Vulnerability and Strengthening Resilience in LDCs (2018)

benin_arne_hoelworld_bank.jpg

Crisis Mitigation and Resilience Building for LDCs (2016)

tuvalu_silke_von_brockhausenundp.jpg

29 September 2020
New York, USA