Preparatory Process for the BPoA +10
In 2002, the 57th Session of the United Nations General Assembly called for a comprehensive review of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) which was adopted in 1994. The BPoA sets forth specific actions and measures at the national, regional, and international levels in support of the sustainable development of the small island developing States (SIDS). In 2005, the International community will convene in Mauritius to discuss recommendations for further and successful implementation of the BPoA.
In 2003, the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/58/484/Add.4 which provided an overview of the preparations at the international, regional, and national level. The resolution also provides recommendations for the further implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of the SIDS, incorporating recommendations made in the Secretary-General report A/58/170.
National Preparations
At the national level, Small Island Developing States have been preparing the National Assessment Reports (NAR). These reports are used to guide discussions and to build the overall agenda of the International Meeting. Kindly click here for a complete list of received NARs.
Regional Preparations
From August – October 2003, three regional preparatory meetings were held for the Pacific SIDS, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and the South China Sea (AIMS) SIDS, and the Caribbean SIDS. These meetings highlighted key challenges, opportunities and constraints faced by SIDS in implementing the Barbados Programme of Action:
- Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting, Apia Samoa, 4-8 August, 2003
Final Report, List of Participants, and Presentations
- AIMS Regional Preparatory Meeting, Praia, Cape Verde, 1-5 September, 2003. The meeting was resumed in Mahé, Seychelles, 8-10 January, 2004
Final Report, List of Participants, and Presentations
- Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, 6-10 October, 2003
Final Report, List of Participants, and Presentations
Experts MeetingsThe University of the West Indies Center for Environment and Development, (UWICED), supported by UNDP and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), organized a series of expert meetings that generated numerous valuable reports on the sustainable development challenge facing SIDS. The topics ranged from energy, trade and tourism, waste management, capacity building and education for sustainable development, oceans management and science and technology. In addition, a specific proposal for cooperation amongst SIDS universities has been generated and is nearing completion. For more information, click here.
To finalize negotiations on the draft AOSIS Strategy Paper, three-day informal consultations will be held on 7, 8 and 11 October, 2004. The Facilitator for the consultations is Ambassador Don MacKay, Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations.
International Preparations
From 26-30 January, 2004, the Inter-Regional Preparatory Meeting was held in Nassau, The Bahamas. The meeting adopted both Nassau Declaration and AOSIS Strategy Paper in preparation for the Mauritius Meeting on Small Island States.
The 12th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-12) undertook the final preparations for the International Meeting, including its agenda. The 3-day Preparatory Meeting was held from 14 to 16 April 2004 in New York. The meeting considered the Secretary-General's synthesis report that was based on recommendations from SIDS, and reports from the expert thematic workshop, regional and inter-regional preparatory meetings.