Antigua and Barbuda has urged countries to put resilience and the particular vulnerabilities of small island states at the centre of sustainable development planning.

Joy-Marie King, the country’s Director of International Trade and national focal point for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, made the call during a regional consultation in Quito, Ecuador.

The September 29 to October 1 meeting contributed regional evidence and perspectives to the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Report 2027.

King said Small Island Developing States (SIDS) should use evidence to shape policies, secure suitable financing and speed up implementation of development commitments.

She also called for closer alignment between the Sustainable Development Goals, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS and national development plans.

According to King, such coordination can help countries make better use of limited resources while strengthening resilience across key areas of their economies.

The consultation brought together governments, UN agencies, regional organisations, academics, civil society groups, youth representatives and national SDG coordinators.

Discussions focused on sustainable financing, governance, science and technology, innovation, institutional capacity and ways to expand successful development initiatives.

Participants also considered education, inequality, accountability and policy trade-offs as countries work towards the 2030 development targets and beyond.

Antigua and Barbuda’s participation provided a Small Island Developing State perspective to the regional discussions on how science, policy and society can be better connected to accelerate sustainable development.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Joy-Marie King Calls For Greater Focus On SIDS Resilience At UN Consultation.