Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley

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During her speech at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley proposed the establishment of a biennial summit for SIDS leaders along with a governance structure to oversee the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS).

She emphasized the inadequacy of the current practice of international reviews of SIDS every five to ten years and stressed the need for more frequent and structured engagement among leaders to effectively address the unique challenges faced by their nations.

Mottley called for a meeting every two years to ensure continuous and focused dialogue, highlighting the importance of the representation of larger countries in these discussions.

She also addressed the urgency of the situation, pointing out the increasing frequency and scale of natural disasters causing human suffering, irreparable physical damage, and high economic costs in SIDS.

Furthermore, Mottley criticized the gap between United Nations member states’ commitments and their actual financial contributions, urging the international community to take tangible actions to bridge this gap and support SIDS more effectively.

She stressed the importance of international solidarity and cooperation in the fight against climate change, highlighting the need to overcome geopolitical and national politics that hinder progress.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the need for a more inclusive and fair global financial system, acknowledging the initiatives aimed at supporting SIDS but calling for increased speed and scope of these efforts.

She concluded by expressing hope and urging accelerated action to ensure resilient prosperity for SIDS.