WADADLI ACTION PLATFORM

8-9 AUGUST 2022
JOHN E. ST. LUCE FINANCE & CONFERENCE CENTER
ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to face the combined challenges arising from geographical remoteness, small scale of economies, high costs and the adverse effects of climate change and natural disasters. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the socio-economic fall-out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many SIDS are still struggling to transition from response to recovery.

With limited time to achieve climate targets and the sustainable development goals, enhanced and accelerated action is needed to strengthen resilience in Small Island Developing States. The international community and all relevant stakeholders have a critical role to play in supporting SIDS, in line with specific circumstances, priorities and needs.

As the sunset for the SAMOA Pathway is also imminent, the priorities of SIDS must also be evaluated in light of the current global situation. This will help identify the action areas for the new development pathway, which will be adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in 2024.

In this context, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in its capacity as Chair of Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) intends to convene the “Wadadli Action Platform” in Antigua from 8 to 9 August 2022, which is aimed at transforming ambition and commitments for enhancing resilience in SIDS into urgent and concrete actions. “Wadadli”, meaning “our own”, signifies the leadership of SIDS in pioneering tailored and sustainable solutions, including through local and traditional knowledge.

The Wadadli Action Platform is in sequel to the Placencia Ambition Forum in 2020, paving the way for future Chairs of the AOSIS to mobilize the global community in support of the priorities of SIDS.

Objectives:

The objectives of the Wadadli Action Platform are to:

1. Highlight gaps with the objective of securing enhanced commitments for social, economic and environmental resilience in SIDS
2. Examine the current challenges and proposed solutions for SIDS in securing finance through international financial institutions, multilateral development banks, developed partners and the private sector
3. Lay out the groundwork for the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States

Logistics:

• The Meeting will be held in-person in St. John’s Antigua (online participation may be possible based on conference facilities).
• AOSIS Member States, partner countries, regional organizations, private sector and civil society will be invited to attend (list of invitees Annexed).
• The organizers will be providing economy class return tickets and Daily Subsistence Allowance for a limited number of participants (prioritizing AOSIS Members and participants that are unable to fund their way that have a role in the agenda of the meeting).

Format:

The Wadadli Action Platform will focus on enhancing resilience through reducing vulnerability across social, economic and environmental dimensions in Small Island Developing States. These discussions will form the basis of the considerations for the Fourth SIDS Conference in 2024. Specific priority areas have been identified through the AOSIS Leaders’ Declaration which was adopted in 2021.

The dialogues will take place in eight thematic panels across two days, enveloped by an opening and closing session. During each session, participants will be invited to interact with the panel, including through spin-off groups which will be overseen by a moderator.

PROGRAMME

DAY ONE DAY TWO
9:00 am-
9:50 am

Opening Session
• Welcome remarks by organizers
• Keynote address
• Overview of meeting and objectives High-Level Strategic Dialogue
• High-level strategic discussion on Loss and Damage and the MVI, based on the outcomes of Session 2 and 4.

10:00am – 11:30am Environmental Resilience in SIDS: Protecting the planet

Session 1: Addressing Marine Plastic Pollution for sustaining Ocean-based Economies in SIDS

Social Resilience in SIDS: Inclusive and enabling environments

Session 5: Promoting formal and informal education through access to digital technologies

11:30am – 11:45am BREAK
11:45am – 1:15pm Session 2: Addressing the adverse impacts of climate change Session 6: Gender, youth and economic empowerment, and the inclusion of
persons with disability

1:15pm – 2:30pm LUNCH
2:30pm – 4:00pm Economic Resilience in SIDS: Access to Development Finance

Session 3: Solutions for debt sustainability in SIDS The Fourth SIDS Conference: Setting the future for sustainable development

Session 7: Monitoring implementation and strengthening national and regional statistical systems

4:00pm – 4:15pm BREAK
4:15pm – 5:45pm Session 4: Adoption and use of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index; dissecting the interim report of the Expert Panel.
Session 8: Priorities for the post-SAMOA Pathway development blueprint

5:45pm – 6:00pm Closing Session
• Oral summary of the discussions
• Closing remarks by the organizers

Environmental Resilience in SIDS: Protecting the planet

Session 1: Addressing Marine Plastic Pollution for sustaining Ocean-based Economies in SIDS

The exponential increase in global marine plastic pollution is compromising ocean-based economies and sustainable development in SIDS. This session will take stock of the extent of this issue, and explore solutions locally and globally, including through the new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It also aims to distill the key priorities of SIDS at the end of this process.

Session 2: Addressing the adverse impacts of climate change

For decades, SIDS have been petitioning the international community with solutions to address loss and damage due to the adverse impacts of climate change. These impacts and consequent loss and damage have amplified in recent years, resulting in severe setbacks in their sustainable development aspirations, as the world is already 1.1-degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels. This session will explore how new, additional, adequate and predictable climate finance can be systematically directed to address loss and damage due to climate change.

Economic Resilience in SIDS: Access to Development Finance

Session 3: Solutions for debt sustainability in SIDS

COVID-19, the current economic crisis, climate change and ongoing natural disasters combined with the collapse of the tourism industry resulted in an explosion of external debt in SIDS. Urgent and meaningful actions need to be by the international community, including the international financial institutions to resolve the impending SIDS debt crisis. This session will explore viable solutions for alleviating debt in SIDS, based on existing best practices and the use of innovative debt mechanisms.

Session 4: Adoption and use of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index; dissecting the interim report of the Expert Panel

Systemic barriers, combined with the limited pool of available public funds, have persistently restricted mobilization of resources to SIDS. This session will explore the next steps for the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index being developed through the mandate of the UN General Assembly, including potential end uses, and the role of various actors in utilizing the index. It will also evaluate the interim report from the Expert Panel.

Social Resilience in SIDS: Inclusive and enabling environments

Session 5: Promoting formal and informal education, including through digital technologies

Formal and informal education are instrumental in strengthening the workforce, and bridging capacity gaps in SIDS. The use of digital technologies has become instrumental in promoting education and training including remote learning. The recent pandemic also illustrated the role of digital technology in delivering education and enabling continuity of work despite the unforeseen disruptions. However, SIDS are unable to utilize these opportunities due to persistent challenges such as limited connectivity and access to hardware. This session will explore viable solutions, taking into account specific challenges they face.

Session 6: Gender, youth, economic empowerment and the inclusion of persons with disability.

As pivotal priorities of the SAMOA Pathway, economic diversification in SIDS must factor in relevant gender considerations as well as empowerment of youth and the inclusion of persons with disability. This session will explore obstacles to advancing these issues and showcase best practices.

The Fourth SIDS Conference: Setting the future for sustainable development

Session 7: Monitoring implementation and strengthening national and regional statistical systems

Timely data collection and efficient management continues to be a major challenge in many SIDS, exacerbated by onerous reporting requirements under various instruments. At the same time, there are a number of action areas under the SAMOA Pathway that are not covered by existing reporting frameworks. This session will explore how national and regional data systems as well as the monitoring framework will be strengthened in the context of the new development pathway for SIDS.

Session 8: Priorities for the post-SAMOA Pathway development – The Next SIDS Blueprint

Based on the conclusions from the previous sessions, this discussion will identify the priority areas that should be addressed in the new development blueprint for SIDS that will be adopted at the Fourth SIDS Conference in 2024. This will be based on lessons learned from the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway and other internationally agreed outcome documents that are relevant to SIDS

Expected Outcomes

1. Enhanced visibility for challenges faced by SIDS in the era of COVID-19, climate change and other global challenges
2. New or enhanced partnerships for strengthening long-term resilience in SIDS
3. Concrete commitments to address the issues in access to development finance that SIDS continue to face
4. Identification of key priorities and elements to guide the development of the new framework for SIDS at the Fourth International Conference on SIDS.