Media Advisory | Upcoming UN conference to set new roadmap to accelerate sustainable development in Small Island Developing States – United Nations Sustainable Development

Upcoming UN conference to set new roadmap to accelerate sustainable development in Small Island Developing States

“We must capitalize on the renewed urgency to tackle structural inequality, address vulnerability and deliver on a fairer and more sustainable climate and development finance to deliver better outcomes for SIDS.”

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua

 Media accreditation OPEN until 10 May 

The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), hosted by Antigua and Barbuda on 27-30 May 2024, will convene global leaders to deliver a bold new programme of action to support small island nations in tackling the world’s most pressing challenges and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

These 39 small islands, home to approximately 65 million people, are stewards of the ocean and gatekeepers to a high degree of biodiversity. However, these countries are grappling with high import and export costs, a rising debt crisis and the worsening impacts of climate change.

The four-day Conference will seek to deliver specific initiatives and concrete deliverables to address critical SIDS-specific challenges including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and spiraling debt.  World leaders will join the private sector, civil society and young people to advance new ideas, raise new pledges of support and cover critical issues for the future of SIDS, such as economic revitalization, climate finance, aid effectiveness, data and digital innovation, as well as health and youth.

The Conference will open with statements expected from the UN Secretary-General, the President of the Conference, the President of the UN General Assembly, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council, the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, the Secretary-General of the Conference and a youth representative.

In addition to eight plenary meetings and five interactive dialogues, the Conference will feature five high-level special events: the SIDS Children and Youth Action Summit, the SIDS4 Civil Society Forum, the SIDS Gender Equality Forum, the 2024 SIDS Global Business Network Forum and the SIDS4 Private Sector Roundtable.

The Conference will culminate in the adoption of a new 10-year plan that will focus on practical and impactful solutions to support the SIDS in building resilience and attaining their sustainable development objectives. The Zero-Draft Outcome document highlights the needs of SIDS, outlines avenues for achieving targets and suggests UN system reform in support of these countries.

Journalism Fellowship

A journalism fellowship funding opportunity is available for the Conference. The funding will support six journalists from each of the three SIDS regions (Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea, Caribbean and Pacific), enabling them to cover and participate in the event. Eligible journalists can apply for the fellowship by 10 April 2024, 11:59 p.m. EDT, using this link: https://bit.ly/sids4journalists

Key links

Website: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024

Programme: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024/programme

Follow live (Official Programme): UN WebTV

Media Corner: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024/media

Social Media

Please follow us on the SIDS4 Conference using hashtags: #SIDS4 and #SmallIslands

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustDev and on on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/SustDev

Media contacts
UN Department of Global Communications
Sharon Birch: birchs@un.org
Alexandra del Castello: alexandra.delcastello@un.org

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Ariel Alexovich: alexovich@un.org

UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States
May Yaacomb:  yaacombm@un.org

Media accreditation
Please note that media accreditation closes on 10 May.

Media representatives applying independently are required to submit an application form, including a letter of assignment from a bona fide media organization, samples of their work and a government-issued ID. Instructions are available on the website of the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit.

Requests for delegation media, including journalists and official photographers and videographers, should be submitted by Missions and Organizations enrolled in the eRegistration system, which is available through the e-deleGATE portal (instructions).

Please note that all media representatives must apply for accreditation in advance, as there will not be on-site accreditation.

For more information, please visit the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit’s website or contact them at malu@un.org or +1 212-963-6934.