|
Private sector partnerships are key to building the ocean economy of Small Island Nations
|
|
|
|
The seventh Our Ocean Conference closed in Palau with the announcement of 410 commitments to protect the ocean worth $16.35 billion, while at the business forum for island nations organised by the UN Office for the Most Vulnerable States (OHRLLS), major announcements were made on renewable energy, post-COVID tourism recovery and zero-emission shipping.
In support of the conference’s objectives to mobilise action for ocean conservation, OHRLLS brought together representatives from SIDS governments and the private sector for a one-day pre-conference meeting of the SIDS Global Business Network to showcase blue economy partnerships being led by the private sector.
Among the partnerships showcased at the forum were those on decarbonizing the shipping industry, revitalizing the tourism industry and new initiatives to help island nations achieve 100 percent renewable energy. Other important initiatives were also announced, including by Henk Rogers’ - inventor of Tetris and founder of the Blue Planet Alliance- pilot initiative to build a multi-island network to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. Other notable initiatives announced at the forum included Wave of Change by Iberostar - a hotel chain with more than 100 hotels in 16 countries, committing to make tourism a catalyst for the regeneration of nature - and Peace Boat, a Japan-based international NGO working to promote peace, human rights, and sustainability which includes training youth Ambassadors from SIDS.
Find out more
|
|
New Report: Debt, Affordable Finance, and a Future for the
Least Developed Countries
|
|
Patrick Lotukei sitting in an empty classroom as schools in Uganda remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Education is one of the many priorities for LDCs as they seek to rebuild from the pandemic.
|
|
A new report – the 2022 Financing Sustainable Development Report of the Interagency Task Force on Financing for Development – highlights some eye-opening facts about how the hard-won development gains of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are being virtually wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the defining features of Least Developed Countries is their vulnerability to external shocks and the setbacks ushered in by COVID-19 were felt especially acutely in LDCs, as well as other Low-Income Countries (LICs). For example, in 2021, just one year into the pandemic, 77 million more people around the world had been cast back into extreme poverty. And the average income for the poorest two-fifths of the population fell by an estimated 6.7 percent in the same period – while food prices rose to their highest point in a decade.
Read the report and find out more about the challenges LDCs face as they struggle to get a handle on the pandemic.
|
|
Together Far Apart - Episode 2, Barbados
|
|
|
|
Together Far Apart is a new podcast series by the UN Office for the Most Vulnerable States (UN-OHRLLS) about the shared challenges of communities that may be far apart on the globe but are united in their hopes and ambitions for a brighter future.
Each episode takes the listener to a different island community and explores their particular set of challenges through interviews and analysis while also celebrating their lives and culture through sound and music.
In the second episode of Together Far Apart we travel to Barbados, where Nichole Murray Broome takes us on a journey to better understand how important the flying fish is in the local culture and what local people are doing to recover the fish population. Nichole introduces us to a chef, a fish vendor, and a glass-bottom boat owner who teach us about a fish that represents much more than a local dish – it is the heart and soul of this Caribbean island nation.
Together Far Apart is available on our website and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
|
|
New Report: Present and Future of Work
in the Least Developed Countries
|
|
Credit: OCHA/Alioune NDIAYE
|
|
Gaining access to digital technologies can bring massive benefits to the development of the world’s Least Developed Countries. When considering the proportion of young people in the countries’ population in increasing, while access to education and skills development are rising, significant investments at a national level – as well as on the population’s capacity – can drive towards increased production, inclusive growth as well as decent work for all.
The Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031 addresses many of these challenges and emphasizes the importance of promoting productive transformation and decent work opportunities in LDCs to achieve sustainable development.
In cooperation with ILO and the Group of Friends for the LDCs, we launched a new report titled, “Present and Future of Work in the Least Developed Countries”.
This report highlights good practices and opportunities to help countries prioritize policies in national development plans.
Read the report
|
|
UN SIDS Partnership Awards
|
|
Marshall Islands: About 11,000 people in the Marshall Islands – a small nation of about 54,000 people in the northern Pacific. Credit: OCHA
|
|
The United Nations SIDS Partnerships Awards are now open for nominations.
The United Nations Small Island Developing States Partnerships Awards recognise the efforts of the most genuine and durable partnerships for the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
This is in line with the SIDS Accelerated Modality of Action (SAMOA) Pathway – a series of commitments made by by 115 SIDS leaders to address the unique challenges faced by SIDS and to support their development. This initiative was proposed by Antigua and Barbuda and the Republic of Malta.
The deadline for receipt of nominations has been extended to 20 May 2022.
Find out more
|
|
Check out our new LinkedIn page!
|
|
We are building a network of professionals who work with the world's Most Vulnerable States. On we share job opportunities, interesting articles, op-eds, news on LDC5 and other major meetings organised by our office, our work on youth engagement, climate action, south-south cooperation, opportunities for the civil society and private sector, our latest reports and much more!
Follow us and join our network to find out about how you can get involved in supporting Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
|
|
|
-1.pngw:600h257x0y49.png)
