POVERTY AND LOW ECONOMIC GROWTH ARE IMPEDING IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS OF SMALL ISLAND STATES

Michael Bascombe

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, May 9, 2010 – Despite the designation of many Small Island Developing States as upper-middle to high income, poverty and social exclusion still exist and are fuelled by low economic growth, macroeconomic shocks and limited provision of social services, according to Grenada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David.

Addressing the opening of an inter-regional meeting for Small Island
Developing States (SIDS) at the United Nations on Saturday Mr. David
encouraged delegates to work towards a Political Declaration for the
high-level meeting which will be in New York in September.

He said the inter-regional meeting offers the opportunity to take stock of the outcomes of the three regional five-year review meetings of the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI).
However, Mr. David noted that the persistence of poverty, especially among female-headed households, the elderly and immigrants, is a cause for concern and an impediment to the implementation of the MSI.

“We are aware of the importance of human capital development in successfully implementing the MSI and as a result we are increasingly concerned about migration out of the region, especially of highly skilled persons as it has the ability to erode some of the development gains made, particularly in health and education,” he said.

“At the same time we share the concern for the lack of adequate data to properly assess progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and to inform evidence-based policies”.
Members States are undertaking a five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

The high-level review meeting, to be held during the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly in September, are preceded by preparations at the regional and inter-regional levels.

Three regional meetings in the Pacific, Caribbean and AIMS regions were held earlier this year, followed by this inter-regional meeting in New York on Saturday and a Preparatory Committee meeting on Monday during the 18thSession of the Commission on Sustainable Development.