SIDS: Decisions of the GA

United Nations General Assembly 
A/RES/53/189
12 February 1999
Fifty-third session Agenda item 94 (c)

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 51/183 of 16 December 1996 and 52/202 of 18 December 1997,

Reaffirming the outcome of its nineteenth special session, held from 23 to 28 June 1997, specifically the adoption of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, 1/ and the relevant resolutions and decisions of the Commission on Sustainable Development adopted at its fifth 2/ and sixth 3/ sessions, held from 7 to 25 April 1997, and on 22 December 1997 and from 20 April to 1 May 1998, respectively,

Noting the importance of the decision taken at its nineteenth special session 4/ to convene a two-day special session, in New York in September 1999, for a full and comprehensive review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 5/

Reaffirming its decision to invite States members of the specialized agencies that are not members of the United Nations to participate in the special session and in the preparatory meetings therefor, in the capacity of observers,

Recognizing that small island developing States are vulnerable and face constraints in their efforts to achieve sustainable development,

Noting that implementation of the Programme of Action has been carried out primarily at the national and regional levels, and commending efforts by small island developing States in this regard,

Noting also that the considerable efforts being made at the national and regional levels need to be supplemented by effective financial support from the international community,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General 6/ on plans and projects for the sustainable development of small island developing States implemented, under implementation or envisaged for the period 1999-2003 by bilateral donors, United Nations organizations and regional and non-United Nations international organizations, and welcomes the action taken by small island developing States and the international donor community in implementing plans and projects for the sustainable development of small island developing States;
2. Also takes note of the report of the Secretary-General 7/ on the development of a vulnerability index for small island developing States, urges that the progress made in the development and compilation of a vulnerability index for small island developing States be continued, and encourages all the relevant organizations engaged in the process of refining the vulnerability index to work collaboratively;
3. Welcomes the action taken by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, with respect to the donors conference to be held from 24 to 26 February 1999 between representatives of small island developing States and prospective bilateral and multilateral donors, and urges the parties concerned to facilitate project preparation and development;
4. Encourages all small island developing States and prospective bilateral and multilateral donors to participate in the donors conference as a means of pursuing the development objectives of small island developing States;
5. Welcomes the actions taken by Governments, regional commissions and organizations, organizations of the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in support of activities relating to the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
6. Urges small island developing States to continue preparations for the seventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development and the special session of the General Assembly in September 1999 for the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and urges the international community, organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental bodies to continue to assist in this regard;
7. Calls for the participation of associate members of regional economic commissions in the special session, subject to the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, and in the preparatory process thereof, in the same capacity of observer that held for their participation in the 1994 Global Conference;
8. Stresses the need for the effective participation of actors of civil society, particularly non-governmental organizations, in preparation for the special session, as well as the need to ensure appropriate arrangements, taking into account the practice and experience gained at the Global Conference, for their substantive contributions to and active involvement in the preparatory meetings and the special session, and in that context invites the President of the General Assembly, in consultation with Member States, to propose to Member States appropriate modalities for their effective involvement in the special session;
9. Also stresses the importance of the full and effective participation of small island developing States in the special session and in the seventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development as the preparatory body for the special session, invites Governments to make timely and voluntary contributions for that purpose to the Trust Fund for Support of the Work of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and in this context requests the Secretary-General to assist small island developing States by applying the modalities for such assistance used for their participation in the Global Conference;
10. Reiterates the urgency of international community support of adaptation efforts by small island developing States to cope with the threat of sea-level rise experienced as a consequence of climate change;
11. Welcomes the activities undertaken by the Global Environment Facility, and invites it, in accordance with the relevant decisions of its Council and the relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 8/ and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 9/ to support further the objectives of the Programme of Action;
12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission on Sustainable Development at its seventh session, through the existing mechanism, and to the General Assembly at its special session for the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, a report on the donors conference;
13. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty- fourth session, under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", the sub-item entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States";
14. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session a report on actions taken to implement the present resolution and the recommendations emanating from the special session for the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

United Nations General Assembly
A/RES/52/202
5 March 1998
Fifty-second session Agenda item 98 (f)

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 50/116 of 20 December 1995 and 51/183 of 16 December 1996 on and related to the implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held at Bridgetown, Barbados, from 25 April to 6 May 1994,

Convinced that small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to the potential effects of global climate change and sea- level rise, and that tropical storms, the El Nin~o phenomenon and drought have resulted in the inundation of some islands and have caused serious loss of resources in their exclusive economic zones, economic infrastructure, human settlements and culture,

Reaffirming the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 adopted by the General Assembly at its nineteenth special session held from 23 to 28 June 1997 1/ and resolution 5/1 adopted by the Commission on Sustainable Development at its fifth session, held from 7 to 25 April 1997, 2/

Reaffirming also the decision taken at its nineteenth special session 3/ to convene a two-day special session, preceding its fifty-fourth session, for the review and appraisal of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 4/

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General, 5/ and welcomes in particular the action that has been taken by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat to support the system- wide implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States; 4/
2. Welcomes the action of the Secretary-General to restructure the Small Island Developing States Unit within the above-mentioned Department in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 49/122 of 19 December 1994 and 51/183 and his proposal to suitably strengthen the Unit; 6/
3. Appreciates the support that has been provided by the Commission on Sustainable Development in following up the implementation of the Programme of Action in accordance with resolution 49/122 and the Programme of Action itself, and welcomes the multi-year programme of work for the Commission on Sustainable Development, 1998-2002, as adopted by the Assembly at its nineteenth special session, 7/ pursuant to which the Commission will, inter alia, review the outstanding chapters of the Programme of Action;
4. Decides to invite States members of the specialized agencies that are not members of the United Nations to participate in the two-day special session for the review and appraisal of the Barbados Programme of Action, and in the preparatory meetings therefor in the capacity of observers;
5. Welcomes the progress made by the United Nations Development Programme in implementing resolution 49/122, invites the Programme to continue to implement all the provisions of the technical assistance programme, known as SIDSTAP, and the small island developing States information network, known as SIDSNET, and welcomes the regional and subregional efforts by small island developing States that have enabled the commencement of the implementation of both programmes;
6. Also welcomes the actions taken by the regional commissions and organizations in support of activities related to the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development continues to have the strengthened capacity to carry out, in accordance with its mandate, the research and analysis necessary to complement the work of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs with respect to the implementation of the Programme of Action, and in that context notes with satisfaction the strengthening of the Office of the Special Coordinator for Least Developed, Landlocked and Island Developing Countries as reflected in the above-mentioned report of the Secretary-General, following the recent restructuring of the Conference; 6/
8. Calls upon Governments, as well as the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to continue to take the necessary actions for effective follow-up to the Barbados Programme of Action, including action to ensure the provision of the means of implementation under chapter XV thereof, the commitments and recommendations that were made at the Global Conference, and the modalities that it adopted for the full and comprehensive review of the Programme of Action;
9. Takes note with appreciation of modalities that have been instituted by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, to mobilize resources, including technical capacity for small island developing States, with respect to the further implementation of the Programme of Action, and in that regard requests the Secretary-General to implement fully the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolutions 51/183 and 51/185 of 16 December 1996;
10. Calls upon the bilateral and multilateral donor communities to mobilize adequate financial resources to supplement efforts by small island developing States, at both the national and the regional levels, in the implementation of the programmes referred to in paragraph 5 above, including support to existing regional and subregional institutions;
11. Welcomes the action taken by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, as regards a meeting between representatives of small island developing States and prospective bilateral and multilateral donors, and stresses the need for further collaboration among small island developing States and agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations system to facilitate preparation of project portfolios; 8/
12. Requests the secretariat of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, in cooperation with the international community, to enhance efforts in respect of coordination activities within the United Nations system and to strengthen national and regional partnerships for a disaster reduction strategy for the twenty-first century, 9/ including requirements for effective disaster reduction and prevention capacities and measures for small island developing States in line with resolution 51/183;
13. Urges the international donor community, including international financial institutions, to support adaptation efforts by small island developing States to cope with the threatening sea-level rise that may be experienced as a consequence of the impact of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere;
14. Welcomes the activities undertaken by the Global Environment Facility, in accordance with its operational strategy, and invites it, in accordance with relevant provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 10/ and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 11/ and the decisions of its Council, to support further the objectives of the Barbados Programme of Action;
15. Notes the progress in the development and compilation of a vulnerability index for small island developing States, in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and other relevant organizations, and invites all relevant actors to continue to support the Department of Economic and Social Affairs on further work in refining the index, as necessary; 12/
16. Invites the Commission on Sustainable Development, the United Nations Environment Programme and other relevant United Nations bodies, funds and programmes, and the World Tourism Organization, to develop urgently strategies with existing national, regional and subregional tourism organizations in small island developing States to further facilitate sustainable tourism development as an essential element towards an action-oriented international programme of work on sustainable tourism;
17. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-third session, under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", the sub-item entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States";
18. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session a report on actions taken to implement the present resolution and paragraph 10 of Assembly resolution 50/116 of 20 December 1995.
    

United Nations General Assembly
A/RES/51/183
11 February 1997
Fifty-first session
Agenda item 97 (d)

Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 49/100 and 49/122 of 19 December 1994 and 50/116 of 20 December 1995, on or related to the implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and reaffirming Commission on Sustainable Development decision 4/16 1/ on the review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 2/

Reaffirming that, because the development options of small island developing States are limited, there are special challenges to devising and implementing sustainable development plans, and that small island developing States will be constrained in meeting such challenges and overcoming obstacles to sustainable development without the active support and cooperation of the international community,

Stressing the need for greater attention to priority areas of the Programme of Action, particularly climate change and sea-level rise, energy resources, tourism resources, biodiversity resources, transport and communications and science and technology,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General 3/ on action taken at the international, regional and national levels, inter alia, by the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to implement the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 2/ and welcomes in particular the action that has been taken by the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the Secretariat to support the system-wide implementation of the Programme of Action;
2. Stresses the importance of maintaining the Small Island Developing States Unit within the above-mentioned Department, and requests the Secretary-General to maintain the Unit at an appropriate level of staff and improve the structure and organization of the Unit, in accordance with resolution 49/122;
3. Welcomes the work being done by the regional commissions to support activities to coordinate the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
4. Takes note of the decisions of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, at its ninth session, related to programme support for small island developing countries, 4/ within the framework of the Programme of Action, and requests the Secretary-General to implement fully the relevant provisions of resolution 49/122;
5. Calls upon Governments, as well as the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to continue to implement fully all the commitments and recommendations that were made at the Global Conference, and to continue to take the necessary actions for effective follow-up to the Programme of Action, including action to ensure the provision of the means of implementation under chapter XV thereof;
6. Recognizes the importance of the technical assistance programme, known as SIDSTAP, and the information network for small island developing States, known as SIDSNET, in the overall implementation of the Programme of Action, takes note of the progress made by the United Nations Development Programme in implementing resolution 49/122, and requests the Programme, in cooperation with Governments, to continue its actions to implement fully all provisions in order to operationalize the two mechanisms;
7. Takes note of the support that has been provided by the Commission on Sustainable Development to following up the implementation of the Programme of Action in accordance with resolution 49/122 and the Programme of Action itself, and invites the Commission at its fifth session to continue its support for and attention to the Programme of Action, as an integral part of the preparations for the special session of the General Assembly to be held in June 1997;
8. Requests that, in the context of the special session of the General Assembly, specific modalities be recommended for examining all outstanding chapters of the Programme of Action and for undertaking the full review of the Programme of Action in 1999;
9. Welcomes the inclusion of the development of a vulnerability index for small island developing States as part of the work programme of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development for 1996-1997, and in this regard requests the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Environment Programme, other relevant United Nations organizations and non-United Nations organizations, to prepare a report based on the views of relevant experts on the vulnerability index, in 1997;
10. Requests the Committee for Development Planning, at its thirty-second session, to formulate its views and recommendations on the above-mentioned report, in order to submit those views to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session, through the Economic and Social Council, and to make this information available to the Commission on Sustainable Development;
11. Requests the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, in its coordinating role, to look into appropriate modalities for mobilizing resources for the effective implementation of the Programme of Action and provide information thereon;
12. Requests closer collaboration and greater transparency between the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development and the United Nations Development Programme for effective implementation of SIDSTAP, and requests detailed information to be made available to Governments on actions taken to this effect;
13. Welcomes the report of the High-level Panel Meeting on Island Developing Countries 5/ on the challenges faced by island developing countries, particularly in the area of external trade, considered by the Commission on Sustainable Development at its fourth session;
14. Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views of Governments on the creation of an informal open-ended working group within the existing International Framework of Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 6/ with the membership of all concerned States, including all relevant sectors in disaster reduction, with a view to ensuring full integration and participation of small island developing States in the mapping of a concerted strategy for disaster reduction into the twenty-first century and in improving access to disaster and warning information in order to enhance the capability of small island developing States with respect to disaster management;
15. Stresses that small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to global climate change and sea-level rise, and that the potential effects of global climate change and sea-level rise are increased strength and frequency of tropical storms and inundation of some islands, with loss of exclusive economic zones, economic infrastructure, human settlements and culture, and urges the international community to support small island developing States in their efforts to adapt to the sea-level rise that will be experienced as a result of the impact of greenhouse gases that have already been emitted into the atmosphere;
16. Calls upon the international community, including the Global Environment Facility, within the framework of its operational strategy, to support commercial energy development in small island developing States based on those environmentally sound renewable sources with demonstrated viability, to support improvement of the efficiency of existing technologies and end-use equipment based on conventional energy sources, and to assist with the financing of investments necessary to expand energy supplies beyond urban areas;
17. Also calls upon the international community, where appropriate, to support the efforts of and to provide assistance to small island developing States with respect to improving and acquiring, through appropriate investment incentives and innovative measures, the means of maritime transport and development of infrastructure in small island developing States, such as airports, harbours, roads and telecommunications;
18. Welcomes actions at the national and regional levels by small island developing States, and invites all Governments, with the assistance of international and regional organizations, to provide information on all of their major activities under the Programme of Action so as to enable an adequate review of the actions taken at the national and regional levels;
19. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session a report on the plans, programmes and projects for the sustainable development of small island developing States that have been implemented in response to the Programme of Action, as well as those that are under implementation and those that are envisaged for implementation within five years of the date of the report;
20. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty- second session, under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", the sub-item entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States";
21. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session a progress report on the particular actions taken to implement the present resolution.

United Nations General Assembly
A/RES/50/116
16 February 1996
Fiftieth session
Agenda item 96 (e)

50/116. Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 49/122 of 19 December 1994 on the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,

Recalling also its resolution 49/100 of 19 December 1994 on specific measures in favour of island developing countries,

Reaffirming that, because the development options of small island developing States are limited, there are special challenges to devising and implementing sustainable development plans, and that small island developing States will be constrained in meeting such challenges without the cooperation of the international community,

1. Takes notes with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General 1/ on action taken by the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to implement the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 2/ and welcomes in particular the action that has been taken by the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat to support the system- wide implementation of the Programme of Action;
2. Notes the establishment of the Small Island Developing States Unit within the above-mentioned Department, and requests the Secretary-General to maintain the level of staffing and the structure and organization of the Unit in accordance with General Assembly resolution 49/122;
3. Welcomes the action that has been taken to enable the regional commissions to support activities to coordinate the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
4. Takes note of the interim measures that have been instituted to strengthen the capacity of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to enable it to complement the functions of the above- mentioned Department with respect to the implementation of the Programme of Action, and requests the Secretary-General to implement fully the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 49/122;
5. Calls upon Governments, as well as the organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to continue to implement fully all the commitments and recommendations that were made at the Global Conference, and to continue to take the action necessary for effective follow-up to the Programme of Action, including action to ensure the provision of the means of implementation under chapter XV thereof;
6. Welcomes, in particular, the progress made by the United Nations Development Programme in implementing General Assembly resolution 49/122, and invites the Programme to continue to implement all the provisions of both the technical assistance programme and the information network for small island developing States, as appropriate;
7. Takes note of the support that has been provided by the Commission on Sustainable Development 3/ to following up the implementation of the Programme of Action in accordance with General Assembly resolution 49/122 and the Programme of Action itself, and invites the Commission at its fourth session to consider giving due attention to small island developing States in the national presentations on coastal zone management;
8. Notes the initial action that has been taken by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and by the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development in preparation for the high-level panel that is being convened to discuss the challenges faced by island developing countries, particularly in the area of external trade, and invites the Conference and the Department to complete their arrangements in time for the fourth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and to make the report of the panel available to the Conference at its ninth session;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that the Small Island Developing States Unit of the above-mentioned Department include in its work programme, along with an indication of the resources of its activities and programmes, provision for the development and compilation of a vulnerability index for small island developing States, to be prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and other relevant organizations;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session a report on the plans, programmes and projects for the sustainable development of small island developing States that have been implemented in response to the Programme of Action, as well as those that are under implementation and those that are envisaged for implementation within five years of the date of the report;
11. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty- first session, under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", the sub-item entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States";
12. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session a report on action taken to implement th e present resolution.