The 'SAMOA Pathway'

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States was held from 1-4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa in order to focus the world’s attention on a group of countries that remained a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilites.

United Nations Member States formally adopted the outcome document of the Conference, the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action - or SAMOA Pathway - in which countries recognized the need to support and invest in these nations so they could achieve sustainable development. 

The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A. Pathway) called for support for the efforts of small island developing States to:

(a) Enhance international cooperation, exchanges and investments in formal and non-formal education and training to create an environment that supports sustainable investments and growth. This includes the development of entrepreneurial and vocational skills, support for transitions from basic to secondary education and from school to work, the building and strengthening of education infrastructure, better health, active citizenship, respect for cultural diversity, non‑discrimination and environmental consciousness for all people, including women, youth and persons with disabilities;

(b) Enhance the enabling environment at the national and regional levels to attract more public and private investment in building and maintaining appropriate infrastructure, including ports, roads, transportation, electricity and power generation and information and communications technology infrastructure, and also enhancing the development impact of the private sector and the financial services industry;

(c) Foster entrepreneurship and innovation, building capacity and increasing the competitiveness and social entrepreneurship of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and State-owned enterprises in small island developing States, as well as encouraging inclusive and sustainable industrial development with the participation of all people, including the poor, women, youth and persons with disabilities;

(d) Support national, regional and international initiatives that develop and increase the capacity and development impact of the financial services industry in small island developing States;

(e) Create local decent jobs through private and public projects and encouraging entrepreneurs to start up environmentally sound businesses through adequate and appropriate incentives;

(f) Promote and fostering an environment conducive to increased public and private sector investment and the creation of decent jobs and livelihoods that contribute to sustainable development, with full respect for international labour standards;

(g) Promote and enhance the use of information and communications technologies for, inter alia, education, the creation of employment, in particular youth employment, and economic sustainability purposes in small island developing States;

(h) Promote and enhance gender equality and women’s equal participation, including in policies and programmes in the public and private sectors in small island developing States;

(i) Set national regulatory and policy frameworks, as appropriate, that enable business and industry to advance sustainable development initiatives, taking into account the importance of transparency, accountability and corporate social responsibility.