(L-r) Ambassador Antje Leendertse, Germany’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Pamela Coke-Hamilton, ITC Executive Director
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are set to gain stronger tools for export growth and investment attraction through new support for the SIDS Centre of Excellence, headquartered in Antigua and Barbuda. The initiative is being backed by a financial contribution from the Government of Germany and technical assistance from the International Trade Centre (ITC).
During a signing ceremony at ITC headquarters in Geneva, Germany’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Antje Leendertse, joined ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton to formalize a US$100,000 commitment to help operationalize the Centre. The effort is being championed by Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aubrey Webson.
Officials said the funding will strengthen the Centre’s mandate to support sustainable, trade-driven development across SIDS—an umbrella group of 57 countries and territories spanning the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea.
Addressing structural barriers for island economies
Because of their isolation, small population sizes, and limited resource bases, many SIDS face high transport costs, narrow export baskets, and economic vulnerability. Strengthening their access to global markets, officials say, is essential for long-term resilience.
To help unlock new opportunities, ITC will deliver a SIDS-specific version of its Export Potential Map, enabling entrepreneurs and policymakers to identify promising products, new buyers, and suppliers. Governments will also be able to use the data platform to design trade diversification policies and build development strategies grounded in real-time analytics.
Support for Island Investment Forum 2026
Germany’s contribution will also support preparations for the inaugural Island Investment Forum, scheduled for 2026. The forum is expected to become a premier space for connecting SIDS with international investors, fostering partnerships, and channeling finance into sectors with strong potential for sustainable growth.
Centre of Excellence taking shape in Antigua and Barbuda
The SIDS Centre of Excellence—created as a major outcome of the SIDS4 Conference held in St. John’s in May 2024—is a flagship initiative of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS): A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity. The institution’s branding was recently revealed in a video launch, and preparations for its full rollout are already underway.
The Centre is structured around four core components:
1. Global Data Hub – A unified data and analytics platform offering visualization tools, training, and best-practice resources to support evidence-based policymaking.
2. Innovation & Technology Mechanism – Designed to nurture research partnerships, promote technology transfer, and strengthen productive capacity across SIDS.
3. Island Investment Forum – A permanent platform to attract sustainable investment and expand economic opportunities.
4. Debt Sustainability Support Service – Offering advisory support on debt management, fiscal resilience, and access to innovative financial instruments.
Officials say the Centre’s activation in Antigua and Barbuda represents a major step toward helping island nations navigate climate, economic, and global market pressures while accelerating shared prosperity.
Exciting development, but I’ll be watching to see how much of this support actually reaches small and medium enterprises.