Speech Esteemed Secretary General, colleague Heads, Ministers, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
It is both an honour and a profound responsibility to address you, as we gather here in Antigua for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS, under the theme “Charting the Course Towards Resilient Prosperity.’
This is a crucial gathering at a time of unprecedented global challenges, in which SIDS find themselves on the frontline of a battle against a confluence of crises, none of which they caused, or created.
Our inherent vulnerabilities, characterized by small size, limited financial resources, and constrained human capital, place us at a marked disadvantage on the global stage, with the scales of equity and justice unevenly balanced against us.
The large-scale polluters, whose CO2 emissions have fueled these catastrophic climate changes, bear a responsibility – an obligation of compensation – to aid in our quest to build resilience.
Our journey towards sustainable development has been repeatedly disrupted by monumental global crises; among them – the financial meltdown of 2008 and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
These events, exacerbated by the relentless climate crisis, have severely undermined our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This backdrop makes the call for urgent, multilateral support not just necessary, but vital for securing our future.
We are gathered here not merely to reiterate our challenges, but to demand and enact solutions.
The global North, in particular, must honour its commitments, including the pivotal pledge of $100 billion in climate financing, to assist with adaptation and mitigation, as well as, the effective capitalization and operationalisation of the loss and damage fund.
These are imperative investments in humanity, in justice, and in the equitable future of humanity.
This year has been the hottest in history in practically every corner of the globe, foretelling severe impacts on our ecosystems and starkly underscoring the urgency of our predicament.
To ignore this, is to gamble with our collective future.
Continuing with business as usual is not just negligence; it is an active choice that invites disaster.
Such indifference will reverberate disastrously, affecting every nation, every community and every individual across our planet.
Oil producing companies, as significant contributors to the environmental challenges that now endanger us all, must be held accountable for their pivotal role in this global climate crisis, in which they have prioritized profits over environmental sustainability.
Isn’t it high time to end fossil fuel subsidies and for these companies to be held accountable to reduce emissions and to accelerate the transition to renewable energy resources to protect lives and livelihoods ?
Shouldn’t a global carbon tax be levied, on these oil companies that are consistently enjoying supernormal profits, to provide climate financing ?
Distinguished delegates, we stand at a juncture where our actions, or our failure to act, will dictate the fate of SIDS, as well as, the legacy we leave for future generations.
It is imperative that we act now; not tomorrow, but today; with conviction and with unyielding resolve.
The major contributors to climate change have failed to meet their obligations to mitigate its effects, causing significant harm to SIDS, and our planet in general.
That is why, together with the then Prime Minister of Tuvalu, I established the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS) at COP26 in 2021, to seek climate justice and advocate for our rights.
Acting on behalf of SIDS, COSIS successfully obtained a historic and unanimous Advisory Opinion from ITLOS on May 21, 2024.
This ruling affirmed the legal duty of all nations to immediately mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in protection and preservation of the marine environment.
It specifically held, that it is not sufficient for nations to simply make empty and grossly inadequate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Let me be clear: while COSIS will persist in legally safeguarding SIDS’ interests, my hope is that future COPs will deliver the necessary results, averting the need for further court action.
I urge the major polluters, to recognize and respect this historic ruling as an imperative to the fulfillment of their global legal obligations, particularly towards SIDS, and, accordingly, to act in the best interest of our planet and all of humanity.
Our collective efforts over this critical decade must forge a path that addresses immediate challenges, thereby setting a foundation for long-term resilience and prosperity.
Our path to resilient prosperity must be paved with stones of international cooperation; to build capacity in disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, digitalization, air and maritime transportation, and overall sustainable development.
Debt relief, capacity building, and technological transfer, climate adaptation and mitigation funding, are essential deliverables that would enable us to protect our environments and advance our economies.
At this Conference, the establishment of a Centre of Excellence to serve as a Global Data Hub for Innovative Technologies and Investment for SIDS will be a pivotal outcome for the Antigua & Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), ten year framework.
This Centre will harness the power of data, to inform decision-making and ensure that our steps toward sustainable development are guided by accuracy and timeliness.
The costs of inaction are high and growing, felt by escalated costs of living as prices surge on vital imports throughout the supply chain.
This strains our economies and burdens our citizens; diminishing their quality of life and stifling our developmental ambitions.
On Tuesday, we will launch our Debt Service Support Initiative (DSSI), which will call for the reform of the international financing architecture to deliver innovative, bespoke financing, that goes beyond traditional concessional financing.
The DSSI will include debt for climate swaps, insurance instruments, SDR’s, green and blue bonds, and the leveraging of public-private partnerships to fulfill their potential in supporting our sustainable development goals.
The adoption and use of the Multi-dimensional vulnerability Index will also be critical to assist middle and high income SIDS to access much needed concessional financing and grants especially, during periods of crises.
As we chart this course toward resilient prosperity, let us ignite a renewed spirit of determination and a blazing fire of hope and action.
The outcomes of this SIDS 4 Conference must not only be a blueprint for action; they must mark a new era of fervent and persistent progress.
Let it be proclaimed that here, on the shores of Antigua and Barbuda, we did more than dream of a resilient future – we acted decisively, with unyielding passion and unwavering resolve, in devising strategies to achieve resilient prosperity for our peoples.
Let us rise to the task, with the courage and the commitment that history will remember.
Thank you.
