‘Sids have risen to international prominence because we dared where others dithered’ |16 February 2022
President Ramkalawan and his delegation in a souvenir photograph with the Unesco Sids Group
“Small island developing states (Sids) have risen to international prominence because we dared where others dithered. When necessary, we voiced out and challenged the status quo. In doing so we showed the world that international politics is not about geographic location, demographics or land area. It is about principles. Principles of inclusiveness, equity, fairness, and justice.”
President Wavel Ramkalawan said this while addressing the Unesco Sids Group in Paris this week.
The President commended the representatives of the Sids permanent delegations to Unesco for advancing the agenda of the Sids and for pushing their challenges to the forefront of the global agenda.
“There are commonalities in our diversity, and they are the source of our unity. Your forward-looking approach has landed us our rightful place in the concert of nations. We have become the go-to partner in several international negotiations. We are the sought-after partners in several global coalition-building efforts, from fighting climate change to championing international maritime law and promoting alternative development models, like the blue economy,” said the President.
President Ramkalawan called on the Sids permanent delegations to keep up the excellent work and to guarantee that UN agencies are kept abreast of the present realities of Sids and in ensuring that the preparatory process leading to key upcoming international conferences is sustained.
«We have come a long way. It has been 28 years since the UN organised the first International Conference on Sids in Barbados. Since then, we have adopted several declarations and plans of action. These have guided our actions and have contributed significantly for us to pave the way to our current position.
“As we prepare for the 4th UN International Conference on Sids in 2024, our collective voice, single-mindedness and unity of purpose should transcend and outweigh all political and national considerations. That is the way forward. The only way to achieve a more robust outcome document than previous ones, and binding commitments.
“As Sids representatives, you are operating in a UN agency that is the lab of ideas. You have an immense responsibility to ensure that the preparatory process leading to this conference is sustained and informed by the present realities so that it can produce the outcome that meets our expectations,» said President Ramkalawan.
Press release from State House