I warmly greet you,
In his song “2020,” Mr. Konris Maynard, a celebrated calypsonian and the Hon. Minister of Energy and Water of Saint Kitts and Nevis, asked whether we were blindly waiting for 2020. Today, I ask: are we blindly waiting for 2030, or will we take action now to protect people and the planet?
The Summit of the Future is our opportunity to transition to a sustainable future. It allows us to pause and reflect on our collective histories and adjust our course towards the shared goals of equity, justice, and self-determination as promised in the UN Charter. This is a space to rebuild trust, as emphasized by the Secretary-General.
Saint Kitts and Nevis applauds Namibia, Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Jamaica, Sweden, and Zambia for their leadership and co-facilitation of the Pact for the Future.
This Pact signifies a future that upholds existing ambitions and leverages emerging opportunities, including:
– Swift implementation of the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index
– Mobilization of resources for Loss and Damage
– Implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS and continued advocacy for the Bridgetown Initiative
Small island states are grappling with the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, climate change, food insecurity, and threats to health and national security. The future we deserve necessitates profound and enduring change. For this, we must:
– Redefine multilateral partnerships
– Advocate for unbiased international systems that respect and include all voices, prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable populations: women, youth, the elderly, indigenous and rural communities
– Ground decision-making in a critical assessment of historical patterns of disempowerment and exploitation
This new approach has the potential to reimagine the capacity of small islands. Despite having fueled the global economy for centuries, it is time for all to prosper regardless of size.
We must transform our common vulnerabilities into drivers of innovation, protection, and lasting peace. To advance this ideal, our government presents the Sustainable Island State Agenda, which embodies 41 years of progress. Through seven crosscutting pillars, including Water Security and a Just Energy Transition, we prioritize the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainability.
While our individual actions may seem small, every effort contributes to strengthening and improving multilateral action. In this spirit, I invite all island nations to the May 2025 Global Sustainable Island Summit, hosted by Saint Kitts and Nevis in partnership with Island Innovation. Let us convene to continue driving actions and solidifying commitments for our shared survival.
As we engage in this Summit, let us anchor ourselves in its Pact and the accompanying Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations, always mindful of the need to reframe sustainability through the lenses of justice, equity, inclusivity, and peace.
Every year, the international community convenes to emphasize “now more than ever,” but truly, this is the “now” that islands have feared more than ever. Saint Kitts and Nevis will harmonize our human existence with nature. Transparent, urgent action now is our duty, and the outcomes are the birthright of the future. Let us create a world fit for prosperity and survival, where peace abounds – peace with nature and peace with humanity.