The second annual Global Multi-stakeholder Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Partnership Dialogue will take place on 7 June 2017, 1.15-2.30 PM in ECOSOC Chamber, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) in consultation with the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS, co-chaired by Maldives and Italy.

The organization of the Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue is mandated by the General Assembly (A/70/202) as a key component of the SIDS Partnership Framework, which has the overall objective to monitor and ensure the full implementation of pledges and commitments through partnerships for SIDS, and to encourage new, genuine and durable partnerships for the sustainable development of SIDS.

The SIDS Partnership Framework is a direct follow up to the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS Conference) which was held from 1 to 4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa, under the overarching theme “The sustainable development of Small Island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships". Around 300 SIDS partnerships were announced towards and during the SIDS Conference in 2014. Out of these, about 2/3 are related to oceans, seas and marine resources.

The Framework, formally established in December 2015, consists of 1) a member-States driven Steering Committee, currently chaired by Maldives and Italy, 2) the organization of an action-oriented, results-focused annual Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, 3) a partnership reporting process, 4) encouragement to organize regional and 5) national partnership dialogues.

Organized on the occasion of The Ocean Conference, the event will have a specific focus on Ocean partnerships for SIDS, and aim to galvanize voluntary commitments for the implementation of SDG 14 among the SIDS partnership community, as a contribution to the outcome of the Ocean Conference.

• Click to download Concept note and tentative programme

Delegations wishing to inscribe on the list of speakers are invited to contact the ECOSOC Affairs Branch (Ms. Maria Theresa Olvida (email: olvida@un.org).

• The interactive part of the Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue will aim to achieve a balance among speakers from all stakeholders.
• Participants wishing to make an intervention during the interactive part of a partnership dialogue would need to press the microphone request button once the floor is open for the interactive dialogue. Delegations wishing to inscribe on the list of speakers in advance, especially those with high-level representatives, may do so by contacting the ECOSOC Affairs Branch (Ms. Maria Theresa Olvida (email: olvida@un.org).
• Interventions in the interactive debate will be made from the floor, and should be succinct, concise and limited to three minutes. Participants are encouraged to focus on concrete solutions from partnerships that advance the implementation of SDG 14 in Small Island Developing States.
• The Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue will have open seating with areas designated for States, inter- governmental organizations, associate members of the regional commissions, United Nations system and representatives of Major Groups.

The Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue will be broadcast on UN Live United Nations Web TV at the day of the event.

In preparation for the Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue, and other activities of the Steering Committee in 2017, the Secretariat is requesting all partnership focal points to submit a short progress report on their activities by 19 May 2017. The information will allow the Secretariat to better analyze the situation in SIDS and its partnerships, and inform the Steering Committee. It is expected that focal points should submit a short report once a year, until the completion of the partnership.

These reports can be submitted through the SIDS Action Platform by logging in with your account. More information at: http://www.sids2014.org/partnership/reports/

Ola Göransson (Mr.)
Sustainable Development Officer & Partnerships Coordinator
Division for Sustainable Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)
E-mail: goranssono@un.org

Shifaana Thowfeequ (Ms.)
Programme Management Officer
United Nations Office of the High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS (UN-OHRLLS)
E-mail: thowfeequ@un.org

Maria Theresa Olvida (Ms.) (for the list of speakers)
ECOSOC Affairs Branch Department of General Assembly and Conference Management
Email: olvida@un.org