Today Deputy Permanent Representative Stefanile accepted on behalf of the Italian Government the United Nations the UN SIDS Partnerships Award, an award dedicated to partnerships with small island developing states. The award, in its first edition, was awarded to Italy and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) for the social category. Italy was awarded for the “AOSIS Fellowship” training project, created for young officials from the countries of the Alliance of Small Island States. Indeed, every year, thanks to the project financed by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, ten young officials from AOSIS countries can benefit from a one-year training period at the United Nations, with the aim of strengthening the negotiating and administrative capacities of small island developing states in international negotiations on the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment and the oceans.
Awarding Italy, which has traditionally supported the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in their development path, is an important recognition of its commitment to backing the SIDS group, comprising 38 United Nations Member States most exposed to the negative impact of climate change, extreme weather phenomena and external shocks in general (most recently the Covid19 pandemic and the food and energy crisis).
Italy, together with other main international donors, carries out an important support action aimed at strengthening the resilience of SIDS and their populations, particularly vulnerable, in an often unpredictable manner, to situations of serious insecurity and precariousness which, moreover, increase the risk factors for the socio-economic and human development of these countries.
In receiving the award together with the chair of AOSIS and Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador Walton Webson, Deputy Permanent Representative Stefanile underlined the importance of the partnership developed by our country with AOSIS, focused on strengthening multilateralism and supporting common action for sustainable development. Ambassador Stefanile also commended the excellent work of the ten participants of the diplomatic training program from AOSIS countries, present at the ceremony.
The UN SIDS Partnerships Award was established by resolution of the AG in 2021 in the framework of the Annual Global Multi-Stakeholder Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Partnerships Dialogue, an event organized under the aegis of the SIDS Partnerships Framework of the General Assembly. The Global Dialogue, conceived as a platform where SIDS, their partners for sustainable development and the major entities of the UN circuit that focus on it, can exchange experiences on best practices, take stock of the progress achieved in the context of partnerships supporting SIDS and launch new initiatives to encourage sustainable development in SIDS.
As it has been the case for many years now, the Global Dialogue conference takes place on the margins of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), underway at the UN from 5 to 18 July, and this year it shares its key theme “Building back better – response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the framework of the commitments for full implementation of the Agenda2030 for Sustainable Development”. In addition to rewarding partnerships for sustainable development activated in the social sphere, the coveted award is bestowed also to commend achievements in other two cornerstone areas of sustainable development, economy and environment.
