Commission Staff Working Document "To Prepare and EU Position in view of the United Nations Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States"

Commission Staff Working Document "To Prepare and EU Position in view of the United Nations Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States" adopted on 11 February 2014.

Main conclusions:

The EU recognises that the SIDS face specific vulnerabilities and many challenges but can also find solutions for implementing sustainable development and is ready to listen to their concerns. However, if the political outcome document is to be focused and forward-looking, prioritisation of actions will be necessary to eventually make implementation more targeted and needs-specific.

The EU and its Member States will be ready to actively contribute to strengthening existing partnerships and developing new ones with the SIDS, together with other donors, and to involve other actors and stakeholders, including the OCTs that can act as regional hubs or centres of excellence in their respective regions. The SIDS Conference offers an opportunity to turn the EU-SIDS partnership into a more comprehensive relationship, with closer political and economic cooperation on global challenges. It provides a platform for building alliances in relation to upcoming UN conferences and negotiations on areas of common interest such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity and sustainable energy, as well as for drawing up the post-2015 development agenda. Informal consultations could take place with the SIDS in this respect, contributing to common EU-SIDS positions at the Conference.