In Asia and the Pacific, 15 members and 7 associated members of ESCAP are classified as small island developing States (SIDS). These States face specific challenges due to their unique geographic characteristics, such as remoteness, limited landmass, small populations, and small domestic markets. They are also highly exposure and vulnerable to external environmental and economic shocks, especially climate change and disasters .
One of the key impediments to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in SIDS is the limited resource base on their land. This reality constrains their capacity to provide employment and decent work for all, which are critical components in attaining many of the other Goals. Nonetheless, SIDS possess exclusive rights to explore and utilize marine resources in zones covering 200 nautical miles from their shores, as recognized by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. Leveraging these vast ocean resources and the blue economy could provide these States with the means to accelerate their progress towards achieving the Goals.
The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States: A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity for 2024-2034 aims at building resilient economies, fostering prosperous, safe and healthy societies, while ensuring planetary sustainability. It requires international support focused on enhancing environmental and economic resilience and a shift away from traditional development models.
15 SIDS members of ESCAP and link to the country's profile:
Fiji
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Naoero
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Singapore
Tonga
Vanuatu
Kiribati *
Solomon Islands *
Timor-Leste *
Tuvalu *
7 associated members of ESCAP:
American Samoa
Cook Islands
French Polynesia
Guam
New Caledonia
Niue
Northern Mariana Islands
*Also least developed
ESCAP’s support
ESCAP provides support through: bringing SIDS perspectives and priorities to intergovernmental fora, such as the Commission , facilitating and developing national, subregional and regional frameworks for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States: A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity ; assisting small island LDCs on graduation from LDC category ; and improving national SDG indicator frameworks and data management to enable policymakers to make informed decision.
ESCAP’s key supports for SIDS include:
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Development finance and debt sustainability: Provide technical assistance and capacity-building to improve access to climate and development finance while ensuring debt sustainability; Promote the use of innovative financing instruments such as green and blue bonds; Facilitate private investment through policy reform and investor engagement, including advisory support.
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Climate resilience and adaptation: Provide technical assistance in environmental governance, climate adaptation, and blue carbon ecosystem protection; Support enhanced access to climate finance in line with UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement; Implement early warning and disaster preparedness through initiatives such as the Early Warnings for All programme.
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Digital transformation and economic resilience: Provide advisory and capacity-building support through the Pacific Regional E-commerce Alliance; Promote digital trade facilitation via the Framework Agreement on Cross-border Paperless Trade ; Support fintech innovation through regulatory sandboxes, such as the Maldives payment system; Enhance regional digital connectivity through the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway , including the Pacific Internet Exchange Point in Fiji and Samoa.
ESCAP’s partner entities providing supports for SIDS include:
Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Alliance of Small Island States