Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a distinct group of 39 States (37 UN Member States) and 18 Associate Members of UN regional commissions that face unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities.

The three geographical regions in which SIDS are grouped into are: the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS).

The UN recognizes SIDS as a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities.

SIDS remain constrained in meeting their goals in all three dimensions of sustainable development. The United Nations has also recognised the ownership and leadership SIDS in overcoming some of these challenges, but stresses that in the absence of international cooperation, success will remain difficult.

The SIDS usually negotiate through the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), within negotiations relating to sustainable development, financing for sustainable development, climate change, the ocean and other related issues.

Challenges faced by the SIDS

Small Island Developing States, including the Maldives, face a range of interconnected challenges that threaten their sustainable development and resilience. Some of the key challenges faced by SIDS are:

1. Access to Development Finance

2. Limitations in Economic opportunities and Trade Facilitation

3. Middle-Income Trap

4. Impacts of Climate Change

5. Access to Technology

6. Collaboration and Partnerships

7. Social Challenges

• The SIDS Conference is held once every decade where a Programme of Action is adopted for a 10-year term. Since its establishment, it has convened on three occasions:

1. Barbados (1994): Adopted the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS (BPoA) and Barbados Declaration which is a statement of political will underpinning the commitments contained in the BPoA.

2. Mauritius (2005): Resulted in the adoption of the Mauritius Strategy (MSI) for the further implementation of the BPoA after a comprehensive 10-year review.

3. Samoa (2014): Adopted the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action [S.A.M.O.A.] Pathway under UN General Assembly Resolution 69/15

4. Antigua and Barbuda (2024): Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS).

Fourth International SIDS Conference - 2024

• The Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) was held from 27 to 30 May 2024 in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
• Maldives and New Zealand were the co-chairs of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS.
• A high-level delegation led by the President of Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu participated in the conference and engaged actively in the proceedings of the Conference.

Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)

A Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) is a vital tool to help SIDS gain access to the concessional financing that they need to survive the climate catastrophe, to improve their long-term national planning, service their debts, and sign up to insurance and compensation schemes that may be their last hope when the waters rise. The MVI was formally adopted by UN General Assembly in August 2025 through Resolution A/RES//78/322.

Crises such as climate change, debt burdens, and infrastructure needs carry disproportionately higher costs for SIDS. With limited domestic resources, SIDS rely heavily on external financing to support preparedness, recovery and resilience-building efforts.

In this context, Overseas Development Assistance from partner countries often falls short of meeting these needs, necessitating the mobilization of additional financing through international financial institutions or other tools. However, SIDS continue to face significant challenges in accessing concessional financing for critical development, resilience and recovery initiatives, often due to their relatively high GDP per capita.

An MVI acts as a complement to GDP per capita measures to assess development, by providing a picture of the economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities that SIDS face, and their capacity to overcome those crises. The work is now moving from advocating for the creation of the MVI to operationalizing and implementing the Index, including governance arrangements, periodic updates, and encouraging its use in financing and development cooperation decisions.