Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is among the regional heads of state in Antigua and Barbuda for the SIDS4 Conference, which officially commences on Monday. Skerrit will be accompanied by his Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Vince Henderson and Environment Minister Cozier Frederick.
Over 5,000 delegates are expected to participate in the SIDS4 conference, most of whom are already on the island.
Hotels and other accommodations have been booked to capacity, and Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne said millions of dollars are expected to circulate into the economy
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has highlighted the crucial importance of prioritizing Climate Justice within his administration’s agenda, especially as Antigua prepares to host the conference, welcoming thousands of visitors to the country. The primary objective is to urge major polluting countries to allocate increased resources to assist small island states in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
The Prime Minister emphasized, “As these resources become available, Antigua and Barbuda will have increased support to make our infrastructure more climate resilient, including our roads, buildings, and telecoms utilities. This will help mitigate the impact of storms that frequently affect our region.”
In addition, the government is advocating for financial aid for small countries based on a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) rather than solely on per capita income. The MVI is an innovative international metric for assessing a nation’s structural vulnerability and lack of resilience across various dimensions of sustainable development. By considering factors beyond income, the MVI aims to address the limitations of relying solely on a country’s income level.
The upcoming Fourth Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) is a significant opportunity to pave the way forward for small and vulnerable islands that are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Anticipation is building as it is the largest of the four SIDS conferences held thus far. Reports of a last-minute surge in registrations have emerged, and preparations for the conference, including security measures, venue readiness, and transportation arrangements, are reportedly in a state of preparedness.
Notable attendees will include journalists from prominent media outlets such as the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and Fox, as well as prime ministers from the region and representatives from first-world countries. Several events took place over the past three days leading up to the event
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