Premier Joseph Farrell is expected to be one of the presenters on day one of the United Nations 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
SIDS4, as the event has been dubbed, will bring together high-profile Caribbean and world leaders, and decision makers in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda from today May 27 until May 30, 2024. The conference is held every ten years and sets the agenda for the coming decade.
The Montserrat delegation also includes Parliamentary Secretary Veronica Dorsette-Hector and Director, Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, Deonne Semple-Peters.
Premier Farrell is scheduled to speak today at a breakout session, ‘Catalyzing Climate Finance Flows for Overseas Territories’. He is also expected to attend a meeting of Associate Members of the United Nations (UN) Regional Commissions (ECLAC and ESCAP) which will bring focus to Overseas Territories.
On Wednesday, Mrs. Dorsette-Hector is slated to speak on ‘Climate Change and Environmental Legislation in support of the delivery of the new Programme of Action for SIDs’.
Hundreds of high-level officials and other delegates will convene on the campus of the American University of Antigua for the Conference under the theme ‘Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity’. The Conference aims to address critical challenges specific to SIDS such as climate crisis, biodiversity loss and spiraling debt. Leaders will review SIDS’ sustainable development progress and propose and agree on a new decade long Programme of Action with practical and impactful solutions to propel SIDS towards achieving their sustainable development goals.
Individuals from the private sector, civil society and young people will also join the leaders to advance new ideas, raise new pledges of support and cover critical issues for the future of SIDS.
The SIDS4 Conference will feature a wide array of side events, offering numerous opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing. More than 170 side events will take place within the Conference venue, alongside 40 off-site events across Antigua and virtually.
