Virtual Side Event on Harnessing Sustainable Ocean-Based Economy: Overcoming the Financing Challenge

Promoting an inclusive and sustainable ocean-based economy is especially critical for the sustainable development of small island developing States. UN DESA in collaboration with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Monaco to the United Nations will organize a side event during the Second Preparatory Committee Meeting of the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States. The event will take place on 2 April 2024 and will feature experts from international financial institutions, UN entities and governments of SIDS and partners. The objective of this side event is to provide an opportunity for an expert-level discussion on concrete steps to support a sustainable ocean-based economy in SIDS.

The side event will focus on: 

• Lessons learned in advancing an inclusive and sustainable ocean-based economy; 

• Opportunities for increased investments in an inclusive and sustainable ocean-based economy that address SIDS-specific conditions, including through innovative financing instruments. 

• Opportunities for public-private partnerships for capacity building in SIDS to harness state-of-the-art ocean-based economy technologies and innovations; 

• Proposal on the establishment of a platform for facilitating exchange of information and projects on SIDS-specific ocean-based economy. 

The side event will conclude with recommendations on next steps for the development of a platform for facilitating exchange of information and projects on SIDS-specific ocean-based economy. The proposed platform will also be presented during the 2025 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3).

Zoom Registration Link: bit.ly/3IHHsk1

Documents

Concept Note and Agenda (Programme)

Video Message from Ambassador Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean

Presentation from Ms. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development, UNCTAD

Contact Information:

- Mr. Juwang Zhu, Director of the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government and Acting Director of the Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UN DESA      
- Ms. Madhushree Chatterjee, Chief, Natural Resources and Interlinkages Branch, Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UN DESA, Email: chatterjeem@un.org 

For more information, please visit: Second Preparatory Committee Meeting for the SIDS4 Conference | Department of Economic and Social Affairs (un.org)