PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 6:29 PM by Luigi

Small Islands, Big Stakes: International SIDS Meeting To Go Ahead

PRESS RELEASE: UN OFFICE OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

The Mauritius United Nations Conference on Small Islands Will Be Held in Spite of the Tsunami: Secretary-General of the International Meeting Highlights Vulnerability of Small Island Developing States United Nations

4 January 2005

Mauritius was relatively spared by the 26 December’s tsunami and will be able to host as planned in January a major United Nations international meeting on the future of small islands worldwide. The Mauritius conference will address as a matter of priority the need for better disaster preparedness in small islands against natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of the United Nations International Meeting on Small Island Developing States, Anwarul K. Chowdhury, while extending his deepest sympathies to the people and governments of the countries affected by the disaster, and especially to the small island developing states, said, "Destruction of life and property to the low lying coastal areas, once again highlights the vulnerability of the small island developing states."

"This wave of destruction comes on the heels of a number of recent climatic disasters where the impact of sudden climate change has never before been more evident than the recent devastating widespread hurricanes and tropical storms affecting small island developing states, most vulnerable to global climate change," he added.

Faced with issues ranging from natural disasters and climate change to trade losses and threats from HIV/AIDS, the meeting is a forum for 37 island nations to present their problems to the international community and seek help.

"Small Island Developing States are extremely vulnerable to all kinds of natural disasters and in view of the enormous damage caused by the tsunami disaster, naturally the Mauritius conference will have that kind of a special focus," Mr. Chowdhury said.

"I am sure the issue of some kind of global early warning system will be proposed by many states and I am one of the people who believe such an early warning system should be set up
immediately."

Over 2,000 participants from the islands, their traditional donor partners and other countries, including some 25 heads of State and Government, will participate from 10 to 14 January in Mauritius in the United Nations International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which was agreed upon a decade ago at a Global Conference in Barbados.

The Mauritius Meeting is expected to adopt a proactive strategy to further implement the Barbados Programme of Action, which included priority areas like natural disasters, climate change, wastes, marine resources, freshwater, energy, biodiversity, transport and tourism. The strategy will also address emerging problems such as market access, HIV/AIDS and new security concerns, and new opportunities like the economic potential of information technology and island culture.

In addition to the official conference, several parallel events will be held in Mauritius: a Civil Society Forum (6-9 January), a youth gathering called "Youth Visioning for Island Living" (7-12 January), and a large event aimed at promoting exchanges among small islands, the "Community Vilaj" (6-14 January), which will include a dialogue and performance space as well as an "Island Market" to showcase the diversity of island products.

______________________________________________

Information on the conference is available at http://www.un.org/smallislands2005/:

Some of the challenges faced by SIDS that will be discussed at the conference include that:

climate change's adverse impacts are already striking islands
fragile ecosystems require urgent protection
islands need more market access and better terms of trade
renewable energy is vital to lessen dependency
tourism has to be made more sustainable
information technology can reduce isolation
island cultures remain an untapped asset
diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria must be fought
security challenges are a burden
island vulnerabilities have to be overcome



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DIVA-GIS	Thursday, January 06, 2005 Posted 6:29 PM by Luigi Small Islands, Big Stakes: International SIDS Meeting To Go Ahead PRESS RELEASE: UN OFFICE OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES The Mauritius United Nations Conference on Small Islands Will Be Held in Spite of the Tsunami: Secretary-General of the International Meeting Highlights Vulnerability of Small Island Developing States United Nations 4 January 2005 Mauritius was relatively spared by the 26 December’s tsunami and will be able to host as planned in January a major United Nations international meeting on the future of small islands worldwide. The Mauritius conference will address as a matter of priority the need for better disaster preparedness in small islands against natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones. United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of the United Nations International Meeting on Small Island Developing States, Anwarul K. Chowdhury, while extending his deepest sympathies to the people and governments of the countries affected by the disaster, and especially to the small island developing states, said, "Destruction of life and property to the low lying coastal areas, once again highlights the vulnerability of the small island developing states." "This wave of destruction comes on the heels of a number of recent climatic disasters where the impact of sudden climate change has never before been more evident than the recent devastating widespread hurricanes and tropical storms affecting small island developing states, most vulnerable to global climate change," he added. Faced with issues ranging from natural disasters and climate change to trade losses and threats from HIV/AIDS, the meeting is a forum for 37 island nations to present their problems to the international community and seek help. "Small Island Developing States are extremely vulnerable to all kinds of natural disasters and in view of the enormous damage caused by the tsunami disaster, naturally the Mauritius conference will have that kind of a special focus," Mr. Chowdhury said. "I am sure the issue of some kind of global early warning system will be proposed by many states and I am one of the people who believe such an early warning system should be set up immediately." Over 2,000 participants from the islands, their traditional donor partners and other countries, including some 25 heads of State and Government, will participate from 10 to 14 January in Mauritius in the United Nations International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which was agreed upon a decade ago at a Global Conference in Barbados. The Mauritius Meeting is expected to adopt a proactive strategy to further implement the Barbados Programme of Action, which included priority areas like natural disasters, climate change, wastes, marine resources, freshwater, energy, biodiversity, transport and tourism. The strategy will also address emerging problems such as market access, HIV/AIDS and new security concerns, and new opportunities like the economic potential of information technology and island culture. In addition to the official conference, several parallel events will be held in Mauritius: a Civil Society Forum (6-9 January), a youth gathering called "Youth Visioning for Island Living" (7-12 January), and a large event aimed at promoting exchanges among small islands, the "Community Vilaj" (6-14 January), which will include a dialogue and performance space as well as an "Island Market" to showcase the diversity of island products. ______________________________________________ Information on the conference is available at http://www.un.org/smallislands2005/: Some of the challenges faced by SIDS that will be discussed at the conference include that: climate change's adverse impacts are already striking islands fragile ecosystems require urgent protection islands need more market access and better terms of trade renewable energy is vital to lessen dependency tourism has to be made more sustainable information technology can reduce isolation island cultures remain an untapped asset diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria must be fought security challenges are a burden island vulnerabilities have to be overcome * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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