16 August 2023

The Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) convened its Regional Preparatory Meeting today at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre with an Opening Ceremony.

The PSIDS regional preparatory meeting is pursuant to paragraph 29 of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 77/245 where, it calls to convene in 2024, the Fourth International Conference on small island developing states.

Two out of the three regions of the SIDS (The Caribbean and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea) have already completed their preparatory meetings.

The meeting in Tonga, with Government Ministers, Ambassadors, Senior Government Officials, developed partners, the United Nations System, and other Stakeholders, will affirm that a sustainable future for the planet depends on a renewed and strengthened partnership between all small island nations and the international community.

The 2024 Antigua and Barbuda conference will undertake a comprehensive review of the implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A.) Pathway, a major international development compact agreed in 2014.

The Tonga meeting will adopt an outcome document with recommendations that will feed directly into preparations for the 2024 Conference.